The Department of Energy (DOE) said it is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the safety of nuclear energy use as it began discussions on its environmental impact in the country.
The DOE-led Nuclear Energy Program-Inter-Agency Committee (NEP-IAC), through its Subcommittee 5, organized a technical workshop of concerned government agencies to tackle the environmental regulations for nuclear power plant facility projects.
“This undertaking defines the Nuclear Energy Program’s commitment in pursuing the integration of a comprehensive environmental safeguards with the Philippines’ peaceful transition into nuclear energy utilization,” said DOE Legal Services Director Myra Fiera F. Roa in her opening statement during the workshop from 3 to 5 September in Quezon City.
The Energy official stressed the need to balance nuclear energy development initiatives with environmental stewardship to achieve true progress.
“This workshop offers a valuable opportunity to address the remaining challenges, enhance our tools, and ensure that Environmental Compliance Certificate applications embody not only our regulatory compliance, but also public trust and scientific integrity,” Roa said.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said that as the country transitions to more alternative energy sources, regulatory frameworks are necessary to allow the proper management of nuclear plants “from planning to operations and beyond.”
DENR Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) director John Edward T. Ang said the agency’s role, through the Environmental Impact Assessment System, is to “ensure economic sustainability through conscious and inclusive planning.”
“While there are perceived benefits with the nuclear route, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that its implementation will be in harmony with the environment and our people,” he said.
Roa said the technical workshop was envisioned following the coordination meeting among DOE, DENR and Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) officials on the applicable environmental regulations for nuclear projects.
This was particularly vital in the light of growing interest from potential proponents to pursue either the conventional nuclear power plants (NPP) or small modular reactors (SMR).
The agencies emphasized that several regulatory requirements must be met prior to operation, including a License to Operate from PNRI, a Certificate of Endorsement from DOE and an Environmental Clearance Certificate from the EMB.
From the technical workshop, Roa said the NEP-IAC targets to discuss the roles and functions of the national government agencies involved in the regulation of nuclear power plant facilities, including their permitting and licensing requirements.
The committee also aims to finalize the Environmental Impact System scoping checklist for conventional NPPs and SMRs, and to identify the required information and data for the public participation process.
NEP-IAC through its Subcommittee 3 in August started an extensive analysis of current nuclear laws and policies in view of the country’s goal to diversify its energy mix toward attaining energy security and a cleaner energy future.
The proposed Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority or PhilATOM will ensure that all aspects of nuclear energy infrastructure, such as siting, construction, licensing, safety, and eventual operation, are effectively and comprehensively regulated by an independent and competent authority.
Earlier, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin also stressed that the Philippines will comply with all the requirements set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for nuclear infrastructure development.
“The vision of having nuclear energy is no longer a distant discussion. We are working to put in place a process to ensure that environmental risks are addressed before projects are rolled out. We can make economic progress and maintain the integrity of the environment,” Roa said.
With 24 member-agencies, the NEP-IAC earlier formed six subcommittees to divide and tackle the 19 infrastructure issues identified by the IAEA. Subcommittee 1 oversees the national position, management, funding and financing, electrical grid, and procurement; Subcommittee 2, nuclear safety, radiation protection, nuclear security, and nuclear safeguards; Subcommittee 3, legal and regulatory framework; Subcommittee 4, human resource, industrial involvement, and stakeholders’ involvement; Subcommittee 5, siting, environmental protection, and emergency response; and Subcommittee 6, nuclear fuel management, and radioactive waste management.
In pursuit of the Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050, the Philippines aims to have a nuclear capacity of at least 1,200 MW by 2032, doubling it to 2,400 MW by 2035 and to 4,800 MW by 2050.
