Senator Sherwin Gatchalian believes that the adoption of new technologies---including those that promote nuclear power--are needed to ensure the country’s energy security moving forward.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian (Senate PRIB)

“We have to look at emerging technologies such as batteries and other energy storage systems. We’re also in the midst of filing a bill to promote energy storage which includes batteries," Gatchalian said in a statement Sunday, April 9.

"No matter how controversial, we should also look at new technologies for nuclear power such as smaller modular reactors and generation IV nuclear reactors,” added the Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Ways and Means.

“Although this needs a little more time, we have to look at these emerging technologies since we also have no law or any single regulation on these. We can come up with a corresponding legislation,” he added.

Gatchalian noted that the country is currently 50 percent self-sufficient in energy supply.

The country imports 100 percent of its coal requirement to meet the rest of its electricity requirement. Meanwhile, its only source of natural gas is depleting.

On top of that, the demand for electricity in the country increases by an average of 6.53 percent a year, in tandem with economic growth, which means the country needs to produce an additional 66,937 megawatts (MW) of additional power supply to sufficiently address electricity demand moving forward.

“Because we import a huge chunk of fuel for our electricity supply, any disruption overseas such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, usually impacts the electricity, fuel cost and livelihood of our poorest folks. This is why we need to continually look for all possible ways to improve energy security and supply of electricity in our country,” Gatchalian said.

The senator has filed several measures in a bid to ensure energy security in the long term.

One such proposal is Senate Bill (SB) No.152 or the Midstream Natural Gas Development Act, which seeks to provide third-party access to liquified natural gas (LNG) terminals and transmission pipelines.

He also filed SB No.151 or the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Act, which espouses a sustainable way of waste disposal and energy generation.

On the other hand, SB No.485 removes a 100-kilowatt (KW) cap for the distribution of energy generated from solar panels. This would enable more businesses, such as factories, to put solar panels on their rooftops.

Gatchalian has also filed SB No.157 or the Energy Transition Act which provides for the creation of an Energy Transition Plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and remove dependence on imported fuel. Such a plan includes a moratorium on the establishment of new fuel plants and the entry of new internal combustion.