“If necessary, a nuclear power plant should be pursued along with renewable sources of energy such as wind, solar, thermal and wave [energies],” Lacson told reporters at the sidelines of the 18th Mindanao Business Conference here.
According to Lacson, development of energy is among the main issues the group is advocating to keep in step with the recovery of the nation from the global financial crunch.
“We need additional power to support our economy,” Lacson said, even as he lamented the increased cost of electricity rates.
Lacson also said, the group has been lobbying for the lowering of generation, transmission and distribution costs to save companies from higher operational expenses.
Lacson warned that industries in Philippines will shortly feel the insufficiency of power supply once no new power generation facilities will be built.
“[We are not yet experiencing] insufficient power supply but very soon it will be insufficient,” Lacson said.
In 2008, the Department of Energy (DOE) has signified efforts to revive the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant project to bolster the nation’s energy supply.
Angelo T. Reyes, Energy Secretary, said the Bataan nuclear power plant could be rehabilitated in at least five years at a cost of $800 million.
The 630 MW nuclear power plant was constructed at a cost of $2.3 billion but failed to go on commercial stream due to safety concerns.
Archimedes Flores, general manager of Aboitiz Energy Solutions, said the biggest challenge to Mindanao government and business leaders is to attract investors to cosnstruct, starting 2010, power plants with total capacity of 484 MW by 2014.
