The Department of Energy (DOE) hopes to issue a circular by late this year or early 2027 to provide the framework for establishing nuclear energy plants in the Philippines.

In an interview, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the circular is currently being drafted by the agency's Energy Utilization Management Bureau, though she has not yet reviewed it.

Because nuclear energy is a sensitive topic, she noted that they are being careful with the drafting process to ensure that regulators are fully prepared for its implementation.

Among the key issues being considered by the government is establishing a cost-recovery mechanism once projects are bidded out.

“What can we offer those who would first build the [plant]… they’ll be assured of a rate of return… there is a certain assurance of cost recovery," Garin said. "We need a system for that. If they put up a project, how will they recover the investment and for how long? How much will they charge per kilowatt-hour?”

She explained that “those are the things that we wanted to go over so that, at least, those interested can already study what project to propose—whether big or small. Where. What technology. Things like that.”

Last February, the Philippine government announced it had completed a harmonized, whole-of-government licensing and permitting flowchart for nuclear power plant projects. This is a key step toward enabling the safe and efficient operation of nuclear power facilities by 2032 to meet the country’s growing energy demand.

“We are not merely exploring a new source of power; we are architecting a sustainable, high-growth future for the Filipino people," Energy Undersecretary Rowena Cristina L. Guevara said in her welcome remarks. "This vision’s fulfillment will not materialize solely by the technology we choose or by the power plants we build. It rests on the strength, clarity, and predictability of the regulatory foundation we establish today.”

She added that the country is at a pivotal moment for its energy future, and their collective goal is to strengthen a whole-of-society approach for nuclear power operation that will serve both the safety of citizens and the efficiency of the energy sector.

Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee (NEP-IAC) Secretariat Head and DOE Director Patrick T. Aquino outlined the regulatory pathway for new power projects, which spans seven major phases requiring sequential and parallel approvals.

These include business registration and foundational permits that form part of the first phase; environmental clearances and nuclear siting requirements in the second phase; and licensing by the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilAtom) to construct or secure a provisional permit in the third phase.

The fourth phase involves energy sector-specific approvals and licenses, followed by operational and support registrations and permits in the fifth phase, construction monitoring and oversight in the sixth phase, and finally, licensing for operation, testing, and commissioning in the seventh phase.

“We must ensure that every nuclear power plant project in our country meets the rigorous standards required for its safe and secure operation, in adherence to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) requirements,” Aquino said.