Meralco, US nuclear power firm sign deal
MANILA, Philippines — Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) and the United States-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation (USNC) have signed an agreement to undertake a pre-feasibility study on micro-modular reactors (MMRs) in the country.
The two power companies presented their signed agreement before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on the sidelines of the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in San Francisco, California, on Thursday (Manila time).
“The partnership is a significant step towards exploring clean and sustainable energy options for the Philippines,” Marcos said in his speech.
He added that the deal was “aligned with our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience to climate change.”
Palace said that under the agreement, Meralco and USNC will conduct a feasibility study that will aim to explore the potential deployment of MMRs at Meralco sites to provide affordable and dependable access to power.
This will benefit the underserved and off-grid areas of the country, it added.
It will also allow Meralco to get an estimate of the “environmental and social impact, capital expenditure, and operational costs, among others,” which are related to the “siting, construction, and operation” of one or more MMR energy systems in the archipelago.
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