Abadilla, Yuan Cantes, John Christopher 11 - 06

Santos, Javier Limena, Christian Angelo January 23, 2020

Metrillo, Ashley

The Perception of Public and Experts on the Use of Nuclear Power Today’s Time

RESEARCH VISION

Philippines today is facing a huge problem in terms of energy efficiency

especially in rural and under developed parts of the Philippines. Last April 2019,
Meralco just announced its first red alert in Luzon. A rotational brownout happened in
Luzon to limit its capacity of the usage of electricity (Amoguis, 2019).

The researchers’ vision is to aim the perception from a person regarding on the
usage of nuclear power in the Philippines and to provide all data on their experience or
perspective on having the nuclear energy. The researchers are conducting this research
in order to provide solutions and information for the problem they are facing today. This
also includes the benefits, and the advantages and disadvantages of operating the
Bataan nuclear power plant.

If the nuclear power plant is implemented in the next 5 years, there will be
relatively low electricity costs, low pollution costs, sustainable if only the operator and
manager is well-educated and well-oriented about what is going to be done in the
nuclear power plant. There will also be some drawbacks in obtaining one due to high
accident risks, in producing radioactive waste, in acquiring raw materials for the fission
process that will produce tons of greenhouse gases, and water pollution that will impact
aquatic life.
RESEARCH PROBLEM

Due to sudden power outage in April and May, it is more likely because of the
current season in the Philippines, dry season. Filipinos tends to use air conditioner or
electric fans for 6-12 hours straight. They saw peak demand for the day reaching 9,491
Megawatts (MW) that is against the grid’s available capacity of 10,115 Megawatts (MW)
(Amoguis, 2019). This is not the only problem regarding insufficient energy. The
Malampaya Power Plant will be expecting to start declining by 2022 to recover 80% of
the reservoir. This will then result a decrease of over 3,400 Megawatts (MW) supply of
energy in Luzon, including Manila (Rivera, 2018). Most of the power outage occurs
mostly on summer. And with these information, the researchers would like to answer
this question: is it time to use the Philippines’ Nuclear Power Plant in Bataan?

RESEARCH GOAL

The objective of the research is to know the perception of both public and experts
regarding to the implementation of [Bataan] nuclear power plant. Because of this, It
describes the public’s and experts’ opinion on introducing the development the nuclear
power plant.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The researchers want to answer these questions related to our topic:

1. What is the perception of the public in operating nuclear power?

2. How will the nuclear power plant sustain energy inefficiency in our country?
3. *
RESEARCH METHODS AND DATA COLLECTION

In this research, the researchers will use Qualitative research as a method for
our research. This type of research method focuses the answers “why” and focuses in
understanding of an individual with his or her experience on idealistic approach. As for
the type of qualitative research, the researchers will be using Case Study because the
research will be focused on the electricity environment in urban and rural places.
Researchers will also include different studies regarding to the topic. By using this
method, we will gather all the data, articles, and answers from the interviewee related to
the topic provided.
In order to help the researchers to conduct this research, researchers will be
interviewing the selected participants that have the basic background knowledge within
the area of our topic. These participants are the people in rural places that has the
absence of electricity, urban places that has electricity, to the plant engineer, and
electrical engineer that has the expertise regarding to the topic.
After getting all data from the selected participants, we will gather and provide
information about the studies of nuclear power and to compare and contrast both
answers from the selected participants and the studies from the papers, books and
website provided years ago.
RELATED LITERATURE

According to Angsioco (2016), operating Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP)

will save foreign exchange, recognized as Philippines’ rare resource. BNPP will result in
way cheaper electricity. This will give them more attention from foreign investors. They
will be less bypassed as an investment or manufacturing zone. Their costly electricity
cost them dearly in terms of economic opportunity. It is strategically more secure
because the physical volume of fuel needed every 18 months is so small. Nuclear
energy is good for the environment. It emits nothing. It means less CO2 and pollution
everywhere.

According to Bersamina (2018), having nuclear power in the Philippines aims to

double its power generation capacity by 2030 to prevent from major power failures, from
the energy crisis in the 1990s. However, re-constructing the Bataan Nuclear Power
Plant (BNPP) is hard because the power plant had been idled more than 36 years and
because of outdated safety systems that causes the history meltdowns at Fukushima
and Chernobyl. President Rodrigo Duterte proposed in 2018 for a revival of Bataan
Nuclear Power Plant to provide more energy capacity on Luzon at the Philippines.

According to Dockery (2017), there are some of the beneficial on having nuclear
energy. Nuclear energy aids in many medical procedures. It can provide power which
here at Luzon can add up to over 600 Megawatts of electricity, from the current capacity
of 14, 348 MW in the Luzon Grid. This type of renewable energy doesn’t only produce
large mass of electricity but it can save up money from replacing the nuclear fuel, it can
last up to 18 months.

According to Rivera (2019), Rotational blackout is still one of the worst scenario
when it comes to limited power supply. The Department of Energy said the Luzon grid
lost a total of 2, 489 megawatts (MW) because of unplanned outage and de-rated
capacity of several power plants. The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP)
present that the grid had an available capacity of 10,220 MW while peak demand was
estimated to reach 10,334 MW. Affected areas were portions of Bulacan, particularly
Plaridel, Malolos City, San Rafael, San Ildefonso, Pandi, Norzagaray, Doña Remedios
Trinidad, Angat, Paombong, Hagonoy, Calumpit, Meycauayan, Santa Maria, Marilao,
Bocaue, Pulilan, Baliuag, San Jose del Monte City and Balagtas. Rotational blackout
we’re mostly occurred during summer seasons, which some people will tend to use
aircon in a maximum power.

According to Arcilla (2018), the director of the Philippine Nuclear Research

Institute, stated that coal fuels half of the Philippines' power grid, with natural gas and
renewables each accounting for over a fifth and oil the rest. With an economy growing
as fast as China's at 6.8 percent in the first quarter, Manila expects energy consumption
to triple to 67,000 MW by 2040. By tapping nuclear, where upfront investment is high
but fuel costs are lower electricity costs will drop. In addition to that, Arcilla also said that
the biggest problem in the Philippines is that the country has one of the most expensive
power in the world.
References

Amoguis, M. T. (2019, June 17). Power underwhelming: Why are the power outages?
Retrieved from BusinessWorld: https://www.bworldonline.com/power-
underwhelming-why-are-there-power-outages/
Angsioco, E. (2016, September 03). 9 benefits of operating the Bataan Nuclear Power
Plant. Retrieved from manilastandard.net:
http://manilastandard.net/mobile/article/215083
Arcilla, C. (2018, May 24). In power-hungry PH, some advocate a nuclear revival.
Retrieved from Manila Bulletin: https://business.mb.com.ph/2018/05/24/in-power-
hungry-ph-some-advocate-a-nuclear-revival/
Bersamina, K. D. (2018, May 22). Can nuclear power solve energy gap in the
Philippines? Scientist explains. Retrieved from philstar global:
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/05/22/1817362/can-nuclear-power-
solve-energy-gap-philippines-scientist-explains
Dockery, G. (2017, April 24). What is the Importance of Nuclear Energy. Retrieved from
Sciencing: https://sciencing.com/importance-nuclear-energy-5049613.html
Rivera, D. (2018, April 28). Malampaya supply seen declining by 2022. Retrieved from
Philstar Global:
https://www.philstar.com/business/2018/04/28/1810042/malampaya-supply-
seen-declining-2022
Rivera, D. (2019, April 13). Rotating blackouts hits Metro. Retrieved from Philstar
Global: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2019/04/13/1909722/rotating-
blackouts-hit-metro