Reyes said that the bill would take time before the country can put in place needed infrastructure to push through with nuclear technology.
Reyes said, such infrastructure include sharpening local expertise in nuclear technology, preparing a regulatory framework and adopting safety measures.
Reyes said that the government also would have to secure stakeholders support if it wanted to move forward through with its nuclear ambitions.
“We dont want a situation where we put up another nuclear power plant, and the most expensive nuclear power plant is one that you set up but is not operational. We dont want another one like that,” Reyes said.
Bataan nuclear plant is the country’s only foray into nuclear power generated nothing but $2.1 billion in government bills for taxpayers to shoulder after extreme opposition from various environmental and cause-oriented groups led to its mothballing in the 1980s.
Doors still open
Reyes also said that although nuclear power has its inherent dangers as what had been raised against the Bataan plant, there are also benefits in using the technology which would help benefit the country, like cheap power rates and applications in other industries.
Thus, Reyes added, the Philippines government is keeping its doors open to nuclear power and also to conventional fossil fuel-based sources to secure the country’s power requirements.
