The Philippines is set to host the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and International Framework for Nuclear Energy Cooperation (IFNEC) next week to discuss the prospects of nuclear power in the Asia-Pacific region.
18 IAEA member-states will participate in the conference from August 30 to September 1 at the Diamond Hotel in Manila. The Department of Energy (DOE) will serve as the host agency, in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), and the National Power Corp. (Napocor).
The DOE said the conference will discuss fostering international cooperation in nuclear programs, global status and prospects, legal frameworks, atomic waste management, funding and financing, human resource development and capacity building, social communication for public understanding, and environmental considerations.
The 18 participants are Bangladesh, Canada, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
“Member-states in the Asia-Pacific region will gather to discuss common issues and challenges related to the introduction of a nuclear power program,” the DOE said.
A total of 18 IAEA member-states will participate in the conference, namely Bangladesh, Canada, Finland, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the US, Viet Nam and the Philippines.
In 2008, the Philippine government began the process of drafting a framework for nuclear power, but was stalled after the Fukushima incident in Japan in 2011.
In 2015, the DOE held discussions about the possibility of drafting a nuclear energy power policy for the country as well as the possible opening of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. This followed the House of Representative’s order for the DOE to look into a nuclear power program for the Philippines.