The initiative was unveiled at the opening of the Giga Summit 2025: The Fusion of Power and Intelligence, organized by the Meralco Power Academy (MPA).
“Today, Meralco’s NEST has been launched. This is our internal program to assess what it would take to responsibly put up a nuclear power plant in the Philippines,” said Meralco chair and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan in his keynote address.
A multi-track nuclear strategy
The NEST program adopts a comprehensive, multi-track strategy to evaluate nuclear deployment. Among its priorities:
Collaborating with international nuclear agencies and operators such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), and nuclear experts from France and South Korea.
Exploring Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in partnership with the United States.
Assessing the rehabilitation potential of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), which has remained dormant since its completion in the 1980s.
“We signed an agreement two to three weeks ago with EDF [Électricité de France] with the French ambassador. We’re also in talks with the US government on how we can get assistance in terms of nuclear energy,” Pangilinan added.
Need for legislative support
To make nuclear power a reality, Pangilinan stressed the importance of building a regulatory and legal framework with the help of the Senate and Congress. Such a framework would govern the safe and responsible use of nuclear technology in the country.
Talent development through FISSION
NEST follows the 2023 launch of Meralco’s FISSION program (Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering), aimed at building a skilled local workforce. Five scholars are currently studying nuclear engineering abroad—in China and the United States—with plans to return and contribute to Meralco’s nuclear initiatives.
“These bold steps are driven not just by infrastructure, but by intellectual readiness,” said Ronnie L. Aperocho, MPA president and Meralco COO.
With NEST, Meralco positions itself at the forefront of clean energy innovation, aligning its long-term energy goals with sustainability and national energy security. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
