Monday, May 09, 2005

Arroyo opens door for use of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

Arroyo opens door for use of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

    

LIMAY, Bataan (PNA) — The mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) will soon be put to good use after the government finalizes a plan to make the site a future energy source.

During talks with reporters after the inauguration of two facilities of Petron Corp. here Friday, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo revealed that the government intends to use the controversial plant as an alternative solution to the country’s energy problem.

She reiterated, however, that she has no intention of allowing the operation of the BNPP as a nuclear power plant because it is against the Constitution.

"Instead, the site would be converted into a generation or power plant, if investors are interested," she said.

"The (Philippine) Constitution prohibits nuclearization," the President stressed. "Although Korea has one of the lowest power rates in the region because they are nuclear, the country has no plans of doing so."

As to the technical feasibility or superiority of using the BNPP instead of another plant for conversion, the President asked Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla to provide the answers.

Lotilla said the site of the BNPP can be offered to private investors for any plant, generation or power plant use.

"Di kailangan ang nuclear power plant kasi may debate whether conversion is economical or not. So given that, yung site na lang mismo ang titingnan natin kung may interesado so that future demands can be met by making the site available to investors," Lotilla explained

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