Scientist opposes revival of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant

A top Filipino scientist said Thursday he opposed the plans to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), bringing up concerns on how the government would address its hazardous waste.

Dr. Fabian Dayrit, an academician of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), noted that nuclear waste disposal remained a challenge in other countries operating nuclear power plants.

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He added the Philippines could explore other energy sources that are more sustainable and safe such as solar and wind power plants.

“In the Philippines, in addition to solar and wind, we also have tidal energy. Of course, geothermal energy is still there,” Dayrit said.

Dayrit, the president of the Integrated Chemists of the Philippines, also warned the public of the high cost of reviving the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant after decades of being unused.

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“We have better options and options which will not commit future generations to managing nuclear waste for which up to now there’s no solution,” he told ANC’s “Matters of Fact.”

Bataan Nuclear Power Plant functional

Meanwhile, the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute said Sunday that the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, which has never been used, was still functional.

“Mali yung sinasabi ng iba na laspag. ‘Di pa nga ginagamit eh. Imbitahin ko kayo pumunta doon, ‘yan lang yung nuclear plant sa mundo na pwede ka mag-selfie sa loob ng reactor,” PNRI director Carlo Arcilla told ABS-CBN’s TeleRadyo.

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(What others say that it’s worn out is wrong. It is not used yet. I invite you to go there, that is the only nuclear plant in the world where you can take a selfie inside the reactor.)

Arcilla also said the Bataan nuclear plant is “60 percent younger” than 98 nuclear plants in the US.

“Pangalawa, kung ang sinasabi unsafe, sabihin natin ang Chernobyl, ang Chernobyl po kasi, iba ang design. ‘Yun ang tinatawag na Soviet design,” he said.

(Secondly, if some say it’s unsafe, let’s say Chernobyl because Chernobyl has a different design. That is what is called Soviet design.)

Last week, Palace said that President Rodrigo Duterte wants public consultations on the possible operation of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).