To accelerate the transition to nuclear energy in the Philippines, expanding scholarships for nuclear education is a key step in promoting the growth of alternative power sources.
Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has tapped the top nuclear institutions in France and the Université Paris-Saclay (UPS) to seek potential collaborations on capacity-building programs and knowledge-sharing through the Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) initiative.
Among the many possible cooperations, Meralco sought UPS as its partner institution for its Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering (FISSION) program, as part of its goal to boost nuclear energy in the domestic portfolio.
This initiative would cultivate the next generation of nuclear energy innovators and the next Filipino energy professionals.
Through Meralco’s education institution, Meralco Power Academy (MPA), FISSION scholars will be sent to UPS by 2025.
Aside from this, Meralco and MPA met with several French government agencies and industrial institutions to work on possible knowledge exchange initiatives in nuclear energy. These include Électricité de France, the Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety, and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission.
“Through its NEST initiative, Meralco aims to ensure the highest standards of safety, economic feasibility, and long-term sustainability of nuclear energy, alongside the company’s commitment to providing a stable, reliable, and sustainable energy future for the Philippines,” Meralco said.
In July, Meralco sent five FISSION scholars to a two-year program in the United States and China; they are expected to complete the program by 2028.
Two of these scholars headed to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the US, while the others are studying at Harbin Engineering University in China.