As the Philippines embarks on the development of the country’s nuclear power programme, it is making progress in developing the necessary nuclear infrastructure, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review mission that concluded today. The follow-up Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission, conducted at the request of the Government of the Philippines, took place from 2 to 6 December 2024.
The mission team assessed the progress in addressing the recommendations and suggestions made during the initial INIR mission in 2018 to assist the Philippines in its infrastructure development. It reviewed the status of nuclear infrastructure development using the Phase 1 criteria of the IAEA Milestones Approach. Phase 1 evaluates the readiness of a country to make a knowledgeable commitment to a nuclear power programme.
The follow-up INIR mission team, comprising two international experts from Türkiye and Pakistan and two IAEA staff, noted that the Philippines has made significant progress to address most of the recommendations and suggestions and has adopted a national position for a nuclear energy programme.
In 1984, the Philippines completed the construction of a 621-MWe pressurized water reactor at the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP). However, the plant was never commissioned. A presidential executive order in 2022 outlined the government's position for the inclusion of nuclear energy in the country’s energy mix, and earlier this year, the Philippines announced its Nuclear Energy Roadmap aiming to have commercially operational nuclear power plants by 2032, with at least 1200 MW initially and increasing gradually to 4800 MW by 2050.
The mission noted that the Philippines has drafted and advanced a comprehensive nuclear law towards enactment; completed assessments in human resource development, regulatory framework, radiation protection, radioactive waste management, and emergency preparedness and response; and drafted policies and strategies in the relevant areas.
“The Philippines expanded the composition of its Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organization (NEPIO) to 24 organizations, and all sub-committees of NEPIO are actively engaged to implement relevant activities. This indicates the level of commitment of the Philippines to proceed with their nuclear power programme,” said mission team leader Mehmet Ceyhan, Technical Lead in the IAEA Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section.
The team indicated that further work is needed to finalize the Philippines’ nuclear power strategy and to complete necessary studies for future activities related to the electrical grid, industrial involvement and national legislation.
“We welcome this follow-up INIR mission that will help guide the Philippines to safely and gradually progress in its aspiration to adopt nuclear energy alongside renewables in its power mix, while strictly adhering to global standards. This exemplifies our commitment to receive objective and professional international evaluation from the IAEA that will refine and strengthen our push to secure cleaner and diversified energy sources toward attaining inclusive and sustainable growth for our people,” said Raphael P.M. Lotilla, Philippine Secretary of Energy. “We express our thanks to the IAEA for its partnership and support. We recommit ourselves to work closely with the IAEA and all stakeholders of the country.”
