Cojuangco initiates nuclear energy talks

OCCIDENTAL MINDORO: Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco, an advocate for nuclear energy, recently held public consultations in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on nuclear energy as a potential solution to the long-standing power crisis in the province.

As part of the project of the Special Committee on Nuclear Energy by the House of Representatives, the consultations focused on the decade-long energy crisis that Occidental Mindoro is facing, hindering the province’s economic growth. It also aimed to address misconceptions surrounding nuclear energy and underscore its benefits.

Occidental Mindoro Rep. Leody Tarriela said that the province’s energy situation has significantly impeded the growth of local industries, preventing them from reaching their full potential. This challenge is reflected in the province’s persistently high average poverty rate, standing at 20 percent or more, which is among the highest not only in Mimaropa Region but also in the entire country.

“While the LGU enacted reforms to support key industries to alleviate poverty, the power situation has continued to hinder these efforts,” said Tarriela.

For Cojuangco, this situation highlights the importance of having nuclear energy as part of the country’s energy mix, as it is clean, cheap, and reliable — one that can be a catalyst for change.

“It is now the time that we realize that we should be in control of the power and energy we use, not the other way around. If we continue tolerating this dire situation, there will be no room for progress. With nuclear energy, the chance for development will be for all,” said Cojuangco, a recipient of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Distinguished Public Service Award.

According to Mindoro’s electric cooperative, their total electricity demand in 2023 was 151 million kilowatt-hour. Given the increasing demand, even sourcing electricity from the Luzon grid is not enough to sustain this, Cojuangco said.