National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) President and CEO Jericho Jonas B. Nograles has called on the Philippines to begin preparing for the use of nuclear energy. He described it as the world’s cheapest power source and a necessary step for the country’s long-term energy security.

Speaking at the sidelines of the Philippine International Nuclear Supply Chain Forum, Nograles said the shift to nuclear should no longer be delayed. “We need to prepare ourselves for nuclear power. And today’s event is one of those—if not now, then when? So this is the now. We’re starting it. We’re going to move forward,” he said.

While highlighting the potential of nuclear energy, Nograles also outlined NAPOCOR’s ongoing modernization efforts, which include the reduction of diesel dependence and expansion of renewable-energy hybrid systems across off-grid areas. He said diesel power plants remain the majority of NAPOCOR’s generation facilities but are the most expensive to operate – costing about PHP30 per kilowatt-hour while consumers pay an average of PHP7, with the remaining PHP23 then subsidized by the national government.

“We’re working closely with the Department of Energy to bring in new technologies,” Nograles said. “We’re trying to increase our renewable-energy assets to decrease diesel dependence, and we’re now overhauling our approach to make rollout faster. Let’s hope you’ll see results within six months.”

Among the upcoming projects are hundreds of solar home systems to be deployed in coordination with the Western Mindanao Command, targeting far-flung islands and geographically isolated areas under NAPOCOR’s jurisdiction. Nograles added that hybridization technologies are being tailored to each location’s unique conditions.

He emphasized that the government’s missionary-electrification efforts require close cooperation between DOE, ERC, and local government units, as the sustainability of power supply in small islands often depends on local economic growth and payment discipline. “It’s a chicken-and-egg problem,” he explained. “When you put power, then you can inspire people to go into the economics of it to make it sustainable.”

Citing NAPOCOR’s recent work in Masbate, where the corporation restored power to hospitals soon after outages caused by calamities, Nograles said the company is striving to rebuild pride and morale among its personnel. “NAPOCOR is fully functional—it just needs a little bit of spice,” he remarked.

Nograles also praised the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) under Chairperson Atty. Francis Saturnino C. Juan for its quick response to pending matters that have enabled faster progress for government power entities. “We’re very happy. We see the changes in ERC and we appreciate those changes,” he said.

In closing, he reiterated that nuclear energy must remain on the table for the Philippines’ energy future. “The Philippines and the world need nuclear power,” he said. “It still is the cheapest energy in the world, and we must consider it and not close our doors to it.”

Do you think the Philippines is ready to take its first concrete steps toward nuclear energy?

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