The Philippine Online Chronicles

The Provincial Board of Pangasinan on Monday approved a resolution allowing foreign companies to build nuclear power plants in the province.

The resolution, filed by Pangasinan Fifth District Representative Mark Cojuangco, is said to be “a response to the impending power crisis in 2012. The said resolution, which was not earlier approved by Congress due to lack of quorum, was signed and endorsed by Pangasinan Representatives Arthur Celeste, Jose de Venecia, Jr., Conrado Estrella III, and Abono Party-list Representative Robert Raymund Estrella.

“History will see us right, as it has already now, vindicated nuclear power generation the world over, resulting in a massive nuclear power renaissance worldwide which is centered in Asia,” Cojuangco said in a letter to the Provincial Board.

Seven Board Members—Alfonso Bince, Angel Baniqued, Romeo Dadacay, Danilo Uy, Tyrone Agabas, John Agerico Rosario, and Amadeo Espino—voted in favor for the resolution while Board Member Raul Sison voted against it. Two Board Members abstained while two others were absent.

“We should have been given enough time to study it. Because for me, when I hear the word ‘nuclear power plant’ I imagine it to be like an atomic bomb that will destroy all living things around us,” Sison said on what he said is a “hurriedly passed" resolution.

On the other hand, Board Member Bince said on Philippine Star that nuclear energy will help lower electricity rates by three pesos to four pesos per killowat-hour. However, he said on Philippine Daily Inquirer the Provincial Board is “not sure” if Pangasinan will host a nuclear power plant.

Cojuangco earlier said that San Miguel Corp. has proposed to build a USD5 billion (P230 billion) nuclear power plant in Pangasinan in partnership with South Korea through the Korean Energy Development Organization-Nuclear Power Plant . “There is a distinct possibility that the South Korean government would allow the Philippines to take possession of these assets at very concessionary terms given the very close and brotherly relations between the two countries and the large local Korean population who have made the Philippines their second home,” the resolution said.

Meanwhile, Bince said studies will be conducted to identify a “very, very clear” location for the nuclear power plant. The middle portion of Pangasinan lies on the East Zambales Fault.

Pangasinan hosts the 1,200-megawatt Sual Coal Power Plant and the 345-megawatt San Roque Dam.

The last time the Philippines constructed a nuclear power plant was on 1984. Dubbed as the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, the “infamous white elephant” cost USD2.1 billion (P96.6 billion) and has not yet been used to produce a single watt of energy.

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites