Revival of mothballed nuke plant pushed
COMEBACKING Pangasinan Representative Mark Cojuangco is resurrecting his mission of urging Filipinos to allow the restoration of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).
Cojuangco, chairman of the newly-created House Special Committee on Nuclear Energy, said the BNPP could contribute to global energy crisis.
He noted that the nuclear plant has potential contributions to address high price and low supply of electricity in the country.
Cojuangco said the nuclear energy proved to be the most resilient by far, citing the extension of operation of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant in California, United States, which was previously scheduled to close down in 2025.
Its operation was extended after serving as a remedy to the unreliable and inconsistent supply of wind and solar energy.
Likewise, he pointed out that the cost of electricity in Dagupan City has recently increased to P24 per kilowatt hour (kwh), and might go up to P30 per kwh, if coal prices continue to rise. The solon said that this is the perfect opportunity to find the alternative source of energy to ensure enough supply for the country’s growing economy and consumption.
“Let’s push for BNPP to be finally commissioned so that it can deliver the cheap and clean, yet reliable electricity it has always meant to deliver,” he said in his privilege speech.
