In an effort to supply reasonably priced electricity and generate work for locals in Labrador town, Pangasinan province, Pangasinan 2nd District Representative Mark Cojuangco is pushing for the development of a 1,000 megawatt (MW) nuclear power plant in the municipality.
The proposal outlined the construction of a Php 225 billion nuclear power plant on a 120-hectare site, with the location yet to be determined. The plant is expected to become operational within the span of seven to eight years.
The plan calls for the construction of four power plants, each of which would be placed on a 40-hectare plot.
Cojuangco, who also chairs the House Special Committee on Nuclear Energy, said that the municipality is a prime spot for a nuclear power plant due to its vast sea and rugged landscapes.
“Since it has the mountain, the plant could be constructed some 10 to 15 meters above sea level so it could be tsunami-proof and the sea (is ideal) for its cooling power,” the House Committee on Nuclear Energy chair said.
Should the construction and activation of the nuclear power plant push through, Labrador is anticipated to have the most affordable electricity in the country, which could draw in investors and positively impact nearby towns.
Cojuangco mentioned that the Municipal Board must first pass an ordinance permitting the power plant’s construction and then forward it to the Provincial Board for further approval of the project.
Meanwhile, Pangasinan Governor Ramon Guico III expressed the provincial government’s support for initiatives aimed at resolving the country’s energy supply challenges, mentioning that the production costs of nuclear energy are comparatively lower.
“We will support it, provided that it has received recommendations from experts such as physicists and geologists, and has recommendations from officials of the area where it will be constructed,” said Guico.
