Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) through its power generating arm Meralco PowerGen Corp. (MGEN) has secured a $2.8-million grant from the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) to study the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in the Philippines.
The technical financial assistance will fund a comprehensive SMR Adoption Study targeted to begin this year.
The study aims to evaluate the viability of nuclear energy, identify preferred US-developed technologies and determine potential sites for development to bolster long-term energy security.
The grant serves as a cornerstone for the company’s Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program, which seeks to integrate low-carbon nuclear power into the national energy mix.
Under the partnership, Meralco will access American technical expertise to conduct a formal review of SMR options and create a shortlist of designs tailored for the Philippine market.
“Through the good graces of the U.S. government, we are laying the groundwork for responsible integration of nuclear into our overall fuel mix. This grant goes beyond funding— it is a demonstration of support from the United States for our vision, our readiness, and our capabilities to lead the adoption of nuclear energy,” Meralco chairman and chief executive Manuel Pangilinan said.
The project is expected to produce a high-level implementation roadmap that assesses commercial, financial and regulatory readiness while outlining milestones for future project development. Alena Mae S. Flores
The initiative follows increasing bilateral cooperation between the two nations on clean energy infrastructure.
“Safe, secure and safeguarded nuclear solutions offer tremendous potential for energy independence. Our funding will advance Meralco’s nuclear energy program, strengthen America’s nuclear industrial base and position trusted U.S. technologies as the foundation for the Philippines’ energy future,” USTDA deputy-director Thomas Hardy said.
Meralco, the largest electricity distributor in the Philippines, has been seeking global partnerships to explore transformative energy opportunities. The company views the study as a necessary step toward achieving energy independence and reducing carbon emissions.
“Meralco sees this grant as the beginning of a long but necessary journey. It simply is right for the country to think nuclear and Meralco is prepared to act as though leader in that regard,” Pangilinan said.
