The Middle East war effectively choked the Strait of Hormuz and as a consequence pump prices of petroleum that power the grids, industrial engine , our homes are rising non- stop as a I write this article. What’s Malacanang’s strategy under this situation? Is government considering Nuclear power now?
This I remember. It was 1979 and the controversy that hogged the headlines of newspapers was the Bataan Nuclear Power plant. It was in the plate of most radio and television commentators in those years. The controversy raged over the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) only to be mothballed when Ferdinand Edralin Marcos Sr. was forced into exile and Corazon Aquino took over the presidency. As it is, we have the highest electricity rate in Asia, which in effect a big concern of foreign investors.
Retro: During President Marcos Sr. time he created the Puno Commission headed by Justice Secretary Ricardo Puno. The Commission’s task was to disseminate informations why there’s a need for nuclear energy for our country. In those years there were hostile and unformed opinions coming from almost every directions particularly coming from the far left.
I was one among those invited by the Puno Commission in a forum held then at Cafe Fernandino in San Fernando. The meeting was chaired by Secretary Puno and Gabriel Itchon, the president of National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR). During the Q&A portion I raised my hand and took the center microphone and profounded in succession pointed questions which not even Puno and Itchon can supply coherent and intelligent answers. I was shaking my head sending the signal that I didn’t agree. One of my questions I remember was where will we deposit the nuclear waste.
I also remember my trip then to Pittsburgh in September of 1979 upon invitation of Westinghouse, the builder of the BNPP. There I was shown how nuclear plants operate including their safety features. All concerns I raised were scientifically answered. Some issues during those years and up to now is that the BNPP is on top of a volcano Mt. Natib in Morong,Bataan. Studies conducted indicated that the volcano is dormant and never had a history of eruption, unlike Mt. Pinatubo of which erupted more than 600 year ago and again its eruption in 1991.
And that the plant is on the pathway of an earthquake fault. I was shown a simulation of an earthquake that reached up to 9 on the scale, and the plant remained stable. And it was emphasized that the plant will automatically shut down at any slightest indication of a malfunction.
One reason why the BNPP became so controversial during those year, it was because the plant which was originally priced at $800 million ballooned to more than $2billion. The political opposition was more on Marcos allegedly dipping a finger on the overpriced amount and not necessarily on the 620 megawatt plant.
As usual, corruption hindered our progress.