The Necessity of Reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant in the Philippines

For the past years, the Philippines has been obliged to pay the debt of the construction of the unpowered nuclear power plant in Morong, Bataan. It is ironic because the government alloted budget for the plant but did not benefit from it at all. This urged former Congressman Mark Cojuangco to encompass an advocacy to revive the nuclear power plant to use it as an energy supply that would be distributed throughout the country. He authored and sponsored a bill to recommission the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant which unfortunately failed to be ratified in the senate before the end of his term. However, the present representative of the 5th District, Congresswoman Kimi Cojuangco, picks up where he left off by now proposing a new bill to validate the feasibility of getting the BNPP in operation. The Cojuangco’s have strong advocacies in the revitalization of the power plant. This paved way to the protrusion of debates and articles if there is really a need to reopen the BNPP. Reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is not necessary because it will only pose economic, environmental and health problems in the country.

One of the arguments in the revitalization of the power plant is the technological features and location of the plant.  The BNPP’s location according to Filipino geologists is safe. It is protected from any lava flows that may come from a dormant, but maybe active, volcano, Mt. Natib because it sits on a high ground (18 meters above sea level) and is surrounded by deep valleys. Furthermore, its 18 meters above sea level location protects it from tidal waves, the highest one to hit the area being only 16 meters in height.(Quilop, nd.) As an addition, IAEA experts agreed that Bataan is the best possible site of the plant. The plant has also been designed to withstand an earthquake up to 0.4g of acceleration while the strongest earthquake that can hit the area could only generate up to 0.35g ground acceleration.  However certain arguments about this say that there is no assurance that the power plant will be safe from earthquakes and other disasters. The Philippines is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire which is prone to earthquakes that could damage the BNPP. A strong earthquake around the plant’s location could cause ground acceleration at the plant’s site of up to 0.53g while the plant is only designed to withstand ground acceleration of 0.4g.(Simbulan,1992). Simbulan also argued that as pointed out by the National Union of Scientists Corporation composed of 50 scientists from different countries including the US that was commissioned by the Philippine government to provide a technical audit in 1986, 1988 and 1990 on the BNPP, the plant has "serious defects" in its "cover design, construction, quality assurance, workmanship and project management" that were never addressed by Westinghouse.

The revitalization of the BNPP will bring several effects to the country’s economy. It will contribute to the country’s progress in terms of energy production.  Raymund Quilop argued that nuclear power "represents a significant savings over the lifetime" of other plants (gas turbine, coal, combined cycle and oil). It estimated that operating BNPP could generate a savings from "a low of P1.06 billion for geothermal to a high of P3.6 billion for gas turbines annually." It also pointed that nuclear energy is generally cheaper and more stable over longer periods of time compared to other fuels.(Quilop,nd). The BNPP was constructed under a "conspiracy of corruption." It was a conspiracy among Westinghouse, Mr. Marcos and his crony Herminio Disini. The BNPP is an overpriced, unsafe plant and one that has left the Filipinos with US$2.2 billion of debt (Simbulan, 1992). History may then repeat itself. The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, if reopened might be a possible source of corruption for the government. It may just add up to the debt of the Philippines and may be a burden for the progress of our economy.

The revival of the Bataan Nuclear power plant will have both positive and negative effects on people and  the environment. Nuclear power is considered to be generally cheaper that could provide Filipinos with a cheaper energy source.  Reopening the plant will provide job opportunities for the residents of Bataan. Though the revitalization of the plant will bring benefits to the people, the danger it may pose is a more important factor to be considered. Nuclear waste will bring hazardous effects to the environment and to the people. Stressing that of the operation of the power plant will poses grave danger to life and environment. Exposure to radiation may damage the habitat of animals and may bring severe diseases to the people. Nuclear energy is not clean, not safe and not cheap. In fact, it is probably the most dangerous and expensive power source there is. (Hernandez, 2009)

The revitalization of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is not necessary in the country. It does not have the advance technological and right geographical features needed for the safety operation of the plant. Other than that, it will only pose to economical problems such as the problem of allotting budget for operation and maintenance. It may also be a possible source of corruption of government officials. And lastly, the operation of the plant may cause hazardous effects not only to the environment but to the Filipino society as well. In my personal opinion, I think that the government and other local agencies should focus on finding an alternative and a cleaner energy source such as geothermal and wind power. Though nuclear energy does not also emit gasses, wind and geothermal energy are a lot more better because they are not hazardous to our environment and people’s health. 

References:

Cojuangcos Continue Advocacy of BNPP Nuclear Power Plant (2010) Retrieved December 4,

2011 from http://saguntostar.com/2010/12/cojuangcos-continue-advocacy-of-bnpp-nuclear-power-plant/

Using Nuclear Energy: A Philippine Experience by Raymund Jose Quilop (nd) Retrieved

December 4, 2011 from http://www.nuctrans.org/Nuc_Trans/locations/philippine-june10/philippine.htm

Reviving the $2 Billion US Dollar Bataan Nuclear Power Plant - Philippines (nd) Retrieved

December 5, 2011 from http://betterphils.blogspot.com/2011/05/reviving-2-billion-us-dollar-bataan.html#.TtxygbJywyo

Revival of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant a Source of Corruption? (2009) Retrieved from

December 5, 2011 from http://www.pinoypress.net/2009/02/05/revival-of-bataan-nuclear-power-plant-a-source-of-corruption/3/