Romualdez confident Marcos can score gains in energy security, nuclear plans during US trip
House Speaker Martin Romualdez (left), President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (Speaker's office)
House Speaker Martin Romualdez believes President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. would be able to advance his energy security plan--which include tapping nuclear energy in the Philippines--during his ongoing visit to the United States (US). Romualdez brought this up after Marcos met Wednesday, May 3 (Philippine time) with US Vice President Kamala Harris in Washington DC. Romualdez witnessed the meeting firsthand at the Number One Observatory Circle, the official residence of the vice president of the US. According to the Speaker Harris’ office bared the opening of negotiations on a civil nuclear cooperation agreement that will support nonproliferation priorities and zero-emission energy security initiatives of the Philippines. “The availability of cheap and reliable supply of electricity is indispensable in our effort to attract investments that would create more jobs and livelihood opportunities for our people and so he is exploring all viable alternatives, including renewables and nuclear energy, to achieve this end,” Romualdez said. “I am confident that President Marcos’ official visit to the US would further advance his administration’s efforts in the area of energy security,” added the Leyte 1st district congressman. To help the Marcos administration achieve its vision for nuclear energy, the House leadership created in August 2022 the Special Committee on Nuclear Energy. The jurisdiction of the nuclear energy panel is as follows: "All matters directly and principally relating to the policies and programs for the production utilization and conservation of nuclear energy, including the development of nuclear power infrastructures as well as interaction of other energy sources with nuclear energy as a reliable cost competitive and environment-friendly; resource to ensure energy, energy security consistent with the national interest and the state's policy of freedom from nuclear weapons." Pangasinan 2nd district Rep. Mark Cojuangco chairs the Special Committee on Nuclear Energy. Last Monday, a top US nuclear energy firm NuScale Power Corporation expressed during their meeting with Marcos their interest to invest in the Philippines and bared plans for a study to locate an appropriate site in the country for their advanced Small Modular Reactor (SMR). NuScale officials said that an amount of $6.5 billion to $7.5 billion worth of investment is needed to provide 430 megawatts (MW) to the country by 2030.