Malacañang on Wednesday reassured the public regarding President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s renewed push for nuclear power, emphasizing that the government will only move forward after conducting thorough studies and establishing safeguards that align with global standards.
During his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, President Marcos reignited the long-standing debate over nuclear energy, framing it as a viable long-term solution to ensure a reliable and cost-effective power supply for the nation.
“Titiyakin nating ito ay ligtas. Titiyakin din nating maipaliwanag nang mabuti sa publiko ang magandang dulot sa atin ng enerhiyang nukleyar,” Marcos said during his annual address.
Public apprehension over nuclear energy is deeply tied to the idle and controversy-plagued Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), built during the administration of the President’s late father, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. The 620-megawatt facility was completed in 1984 but was never commissioned due to safety risks and corruption allegations.
While previous administrations have deliberated over rehabilitating the BNPP or exploring modern options, the current national roadmap expands beyond the Bataan plant to explore brand-new facilities and small modular reactors (SMRs).
Acknowledging lingering safety concerns following historical incidents like Japan’s 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis, Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro admitted that building public trust would require significant effort.
“Hindi madali na ipaliwanag ang safety ng nuclear energy,” Castro stated.
Castro revealed that nuclear cooperation was among the matters explored during President Marcos’ bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in June.
She underscored that the administration will refrain from launching any nuclear projects without exhaustive research and complete transparency.
“Sinisigurado naman po na kapag ito ay pinasok natin, ang pag-aaral ay dapat kumpleto at ang mga polisiya na gagamitin dito ay hindi itatago sa inyo,” she explained.
The Palace official highlighted that the Department of Energy (DOE), acting through the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee, is leading efforts to satisfy infrastructure, regulatory, and emergency readiness standards established by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
“Hindi susuong ang ating pamahalaan kung ito ay magpu-put in danger sa ating mga kababayan,” she stressed.
“Ang inuuna ng Pangulo at ng administrasyon ay ang safety ng ating mga kababayan,” she added.
Beyond traditional power plants, the government is looking into small modular reactors—which offer smaller capacities and modular assembly—to diversify its nuclear framework.
President Marcos maintains that integrating nuclear energy will help satisfy escalating power demands, lower reliance on foreign fuel imports, and complement renewable sources to drive national energy security and economic growth.