STA. CRUZ, Laguna - Whether it is to reactivate or totally abandon the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), such a decision would be prioritized by PROMDI Party standard-bearer Senator Manny Pacquiao if and when he becomes the country’s next president.
Pacquiao said government should stop spending huge of amounts of money in maintaining the BNPP if it cannot expect any use for it anymore.
He stressed the need to take decisive action on the BNPP, but said it should be based on thorough studies about the advantages and disadvantages of tapping the billion-peso nuclear facility as an energy source.
“Ang istupido naman natin kung ipagpapatuloy pa ito kung hindi naman tayo nakikinabang (It’s stupid for us to continue maintaining it if there is no benefit from it),” Pacquiao said in a press conference here.
Despite this pronouncement, Pacquiao aired his misgivings over the decision to build the BNPP that triggered a scandal when it was built by Marcos, using billions of pesos in loans.
“Marami pang ibang mga sources of power sa ating bansa - windmill, hydro, geothermal (There are other sources of power in our country--wind, hydro, geothermal),” he said.
The Mindanaoan senator stated that he agrees that nuclear power plants will deliver cheap electricity but stressed that this should only be allowed if sourced from barges that will put people away from harm in case of a fallout.
The solon was told that government spends at least P95 million annually for the maintenance and security of the BNPP that was constructed during the time of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos.
Meanwhile, an infrastructure-oriented thinktank urged presidential candidates to review the country’s energy mix in order to address a looming energy crisis in the new few years.
“Presidentiables should consider all energy sources to make sure that the country can confront an incoming energy supply crisis. They should consider exploring more renewables, including nuclear power in our energy mix," said Terry Ridon, Infrawatch PH convenor, during the regular Annabel’s Media Forum together with other clean energy advocates.
Ridon added that the government has signed various bilateral agreements to develop nuclear cooperation with other countries, such as Russia, Argentina and those coming from the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN).
“A new government will have to follow through on these various nuclear cooperation agreements to ensure that the country benefits from the nuclear technology, such as those related to medical research, energy, among others,” he said.