The Department of Energy (DOE) is looking to target 2,400 megawatts (MW) of nuclear capacity in order to support the country’s growth by 2035.
Energy Policy and Planning Bureau director Michael Sinocruz said that the agency is running the numbers with regard to reliability costs. However, they have yet to determine a fixed number for the capacity.
Under the plan, DOE is targeting eight units of 150-MW small modular reactors that are seen to be installed by 2032, on top of an additional 1,200 MW of nuclear capacity by 2035.
Sinocruz added that the government is still open to rehabilitating the mothballed 620-MW Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), noting that they are “not yet abandoning the possible rehabilitation,” but a feasibility study is needed to determine whether the plant can be rehabbed at a reasonable cost.
Meanwhile, the DOE is also planning to increase the target share of renewable energy in the generation mix under the new Philippine Energy Plan.
Sinocruz said that they’re targeting a share higher than 50% following the entry of offshore wind sources. They are also considering retiring certain capacities from coal because of the entry of other RE technologies.
Under the original PEP, the Philippines looks to increase the share of RE in the mix to 35% by 2030 and 50% by 2040.
