DOE wants P97 M budget for nuclear research

The Department of Energy (DOE) is looking to spend P97 million for its nuclear agenda next year.

During a Senate budget hearing, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said nuclear energy is part of their mandate to look for possible sources of energy as part of the energy security plan.

“The DOE is looking at all alternative sources of energy… to attain energy security. We are just preparing the country if we can put nuclear in our energy mix,” he said.

Cusi said the budget sought for the nuclear program is for hiring consultants and experts to undertake such studies in order to be able to craft a national policy on nuclear program.

“This is to answer all possible all questions, whether it’s a go or no go. We cannot make complete recommendation without the studies,” the DOE chief said.

The agency is currently doing parallel studies on the nuclear program, DOE assistant secretary Gerardo Erguiza said.

He said these include a legislative study for a proposed law for a nuclear program, a study on how to align the country to international nuclear standards, an integrated nuclear infrastructure review, and a study on public awareness on nuclear energy.

Insofar as the public perception is concerned, the DOE has conducted a survey on the awareness and acceptance of the public on nuclear energy.

However, Cusi declined to comment on the acceptability of the nuclear power plant, saying the department has yet to submit its report to the President.

During the budget hearing, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian asked the DOE on whether it had already secured President Duterte’s approval for them to proceed with its nuclear program agenda.

The senator also raised the question of constitutionality of pursuing the nuclear program in the country. The lawmaker said without the President’s approval, allocating funds may be rendered useless.

“We already spent P48 million this year and next year, we will be spending P97 million. So, in total, we will be spending P135 million on this nuclear agenda, but we don’t know whether the President wants to pursue it or not. Then, we get a signal from his trip that this might be unconstitutional,” Gatchalian said.

The lawmaker directed the DOE to submit a breakdown on how the department spent the P48 million budget allocated to the nuclear program this year and another breakdown on how the DOE would spend the P97 million budget it allocated for 2020.