Philippines Advances Nuclear Power Plants With Seven Potential Sites
- August 14, 2026
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The Philippines is moving closer to the next stage of its nuclear energy program, with the government identifying seven areas that have met initial International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) criteria for potential nuclear power plants while working to strengthen its regulatory system, workforce and safety capabilities.
Energy Undersecretary Giovanni Carlo Bacordo said initial surveys conducted by Subcommittee 5 of the Nuclear Energy Program Interagency Committee found that two sites in Bataan, two in Palawan, and one each in Masbate, Pangasinan, and Camarines Norte passed IAEA screening criteria.
The assessment considered factors such as distance from volcanoes and elevation above sea level. Bacordo, however, stressed that passing the initial criteria does not mean the sites are already cleared for construction.
“The final say will be the power generator, the company that will decide to put up a nuclear power plant in that area,” Bacordo said, adding that the government’s existing data would give potential developers a starting point for further assessments.
The Department of Energy (DOE) still needs to consult local government units in the identified areas. Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the government hopes to eventually narrow the options to one site when it proceeds with the auction for the country’s first nuclear power plant.
“We’re hoping that we can finally bring it down to one site,” Garin said, noting that the government wants to bid out an area where site characterization has already been undertaken.
Nuclear Workforce
Apart from site identification, the government also faces the challenge of rebuilding the country’s nuclear workforce.
National Power Corp. (Napocor) President and CEO Jericho Nograles said many nuclear-trained Filipino personnel have retired or moved abroad, creating a need to rebuild domestic expertise as the country advances its nuclear program.
Nograles said around 80 percent of workers at the Barakah nuclear facility in the United Arab Emirates are Filipinos, highlighting the technical capacity of Filipino engineers and skilled workers despite the shortage of personnel at home.
Human resource development is one of 19 infrastructure areas that the Philippines needs to address under its nuclear energy roadmap. Other requirements include nuclear safety, financing, legal and regulatory frameworks, radiation protection, electrical grid capacity, emergency planning, nuclear security, radioactive waste management and stakeholder involvement.
The DOE recently engaged with the IAEA on these requirements, with the agency indicating that the Philippines is ready to advance to Phase 2 of its nuclear energy roadmap. While Phase 1 focuses on policy and planning, Phase 2 centers on developing the infrastructure needed to invite bids or negotiate contracts.
The government is studying financing options including public-private partnerships, consortium arrangements, and build-own-operate models. It is also working toward Phase 3, which would prepare the country for nuclear commissioning and operations.
Safety Foundations
The country’s nuclear preparations are also being supported by improvements in research reactor safety.
An IAEA follow-up mission conducted from Aug. 10 to 12 at the Philippine Research Reactor-1 Subcritical Assembly for Training, Education and Research (PRR-1 SATER) in Quezon City found progress in implementing recommendations from a 2023 safety assessment.
The mission observed improvements in the facility’s organizational structure, including clearer roles and responsibilities for operating personnel. It also noted progress in safety documentation, including completion of a commissioning report and additional studies on alternative fuel loading schemes.
However, the IAEA recommended further improvements, including strengthening the safety committee, maintenance procedures for safety-related systems and components, and operating programs. It issued one new recommendation calling for adequate retraining of operating personnel.
“The mission found an encouraging level of implementation of the recommendations to strengthen safety in accordance with IAEA safety standards,” said Kaichao Sun, head of the IAEA Research Reactor Safety Section and mission team leader.
The PRR-1 SATER facility serves as a training and research platform for nuclear engineering and applications in healthcare, agriculture, and industry. Philippine Nuclear Research Institute official Ryan U. Olivares said the follow-up mission provided an opportunity to assess progress and further strengthen the facility’s safety and sustainability.
Institutional Groundwork
The country’s nuclear program has gained momentum through Executive Order No. 116, which supports nuclear energy studies, and Executive Order No. 164, which directs the DOE to include nuclear energy in the country’s generation mix.
The Philippines has also entered into a civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, known as the 123 Agreement, with the United States and is working with South Korea on a feasibility study for the rehabilitation of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.
The government is also strengthening its legal and regulatory framework. Republic Act No. 12305 provides for the establishment of the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority, while the DOE continues work on licensing and policy arrangements for a potential pioneer nuclear project.
Bacordo said nuclear development requires more than selecting a plant location. “We must build the institutions, the regulatory system, the technical capability, the financing framework and the public confidence to support it,” he said.
The government’s challenge now is to turn these preparation efforts into the infrastructure needed to support a viable and publicly accepted nuclear power program.
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