The Case for Nuclear Energy in Philippines feat. Mark Cojuangco

The Philippines exports its people to earn foreign exchange to,
amongst other things, pay for imported fossil fuels to power the
country. Families are broken up, parents absent for years at a
time, and many of the brightest Filipino minds leave the country
causing a significant brain drain. While its neighbours have
experienced steady economic growth and improvement in standards
of living, the Philippines has stagnated, burdened by high energy
prices and unreliable power that has deindustrialized the country
and discourages foreign investment and development. Nuclear
energy due to its low fuel and transporation costs and the
ability to stockpile years of fuel onsite has the potential to
deliver the energy security and the reliable power needed for
economic development at an affordable cost and prevent the
hemorrhaging of so many Filipino's from their country and
families. It can also address the water and air pollution caused
by coal ash which has significant impacts on the health of
Filipinos.  What's most surprising is that there is a
nuclear plant, Bataan, that was built in the 1980's that was 100%
complete and ready for fuel loading but never actually brought
online. It has stood idle for 36 years while the Filipino grid
has been strained and electricity prices have been some of the
highest in the world due to fossil fuel and shipping price
volatility.  I am joined by Mark Cojuangco, a former
Representative of 5th District of Pangasinan and the
vice-chairman of Committee on Appropriations. He is the author of
the House Bill 04631 that sought the immediate re-commissioning
and commercial operation of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.