[OPINION] Beyond Bataan: Building the Philippines’ energy future

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2026 State of the Nation Address once again placed nuclear power on the national agenda. Predictably, public discussion returned to a familiar question: Should the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) finally be revived? That is an understandable question, but it is no longer the right one. The more important question is this: How should the Philippines build the energy system needed for its future economy? For decades, Philippine energy planning focused on supporting population growth and conventional industrialization. Today, the country faces a different challenge. It wants to attract investments in artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing, cloud computing, advanced electronics, and hyperscale data centers, all industries that require enormous amounts of reliable electricity. The proposed Pax Silica technology hub in New Clark City illustrates the scale of that challenge. Government officials have said the project could eventually require around 3 gigawatts of generating capacity, equivalent to several large power plants. Whether Pax Silica ultimately reaches that scale or not, it points to a broader reality: the Philippines must prepare for an economy whose electricity needs will be far greater than today’s. That challenge comes on top of an electricity system already burdened by high power prices, dependence on imported fuels, fragmented island grids, and declining domestic natural gas reserves. Renewable energy is expanding rapidly and must remain central to the country’s clean-energy transition. But solar and wind alone cannot yet provide uninterrupted electricity on the scale required by a modern industrial economy without extensive, and still costly, energy storage. The question, therefore, is no longer whether the Philippines needs more electricity. It is how the country can provide reliable, affordable, and low-carbon power for the industries that will define its future. Why nuke is back on the table This changing energy landscape explains why many countries are reconsidering nuclear power. The renewed interest is not a rejection of renewable energy. Rather, it reflects the growing recognition that electricity systems need both renewable generation and dependable sources of round-the-clock power. Modern nuclear energy offers several advantages. It produces very low greenhouse gas emissions, operates continuously regardless of weather conditions, reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels, and can provide relatively stable electricity prices over decades once a plant begins operating. These qualities make it an attractive option for countries seeking to expand electricity generation while reducing carbon emissions. Yet nuclear power should never be presented as a miracle solution. It demands billions of dollars in investment, years of construction, highly trained personnel, and rigorous regulatory oversight. More importantly, it requires political consistency over many decades, something that cannot be guaranteed by engineering alone. The Philippines does not lack technical talent. Filipino engineers and scientists have built successful careers in some of the world’s most sophisticated industries. Human capability is not the country’s principal limitation. The greater challenge is institutional. A nuclear power program depends on independent regulators, transparent procurement, strict maintenance standards, continuous operator training, effective emergency preparedness, and a culture of safety that must endure regardless of changing administrations. Weak governance that may be tolerated in other infrastructure projects becomes unacceptable when nuclear energy is involved. This is why the nuclear debate should focus less on reactors and more on institutions. The ultimate question is not whether Filipinos can operate a nuclear power plant; they clearly can. The real question is whether the country can sustain the regulatory discipline and long-term commitment that nuclear energy requires. Beyond the BNPP That perspective also changes how we should think about the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant. The BNPP should neither be revived simply because billions of pesos have already been invested nor rejected simply because it remains politically controversial. The relevant question is whether rehabilitating a facility designed more than forty years ago represents better value than investing in newer reactor technologies built to meet today’s engineering and safety standards. Among those newer technologies are Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which promise lower upfront costs, modular construction, and greater flexibility for smaller electricity grids. Although SMRs are still emerging commercially, they may ultimately prove well suited to an archipelagic country such as the Philippines, where electricity demand varies considerably from one region to another. The point is not that the Philippines should immediately embrace one option over another. It is that every option, from rehabilitating the BNPP to deploying SMRs, should be evaluated objectively on the basis of safety, economics, engineering feasibility, and long-term national interest. The Philippines does not need to choose between renewable energy and nuclear power. It needs a diversified energy strategy that combines multiple technologies according to their strengths. Renewable energy should continue expanding aggressively, supported by investments in battery storage, transmission infrastructure, and grid modernization. At the same time, the country should objectively assess whether nuclear power has a role in providing the dependable, low-carbon electricity that an increasingly digital economy will require. Ultimately, this debate is no longer about a power plant conceived in the 1970s. It is about whether the Philippines is preparing for the economy of the 2030s, 2040s, and beyond. Countries that hope to lead in artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and digital infrastructure cannot rely on investment incentives alone. They must also provide the electricity those industries demand. That is why the national conversation must move beyond Bataan. The future will not be powered by nostalgia or ideology. It will be powered by sound engineering, disciplined governance, and long-term planning. – Rappler.com Raul F. Borjal is a BS Economics alumnus of Ateneo de Manila University. He held senior executive positions in various domestic and multinational corporations, culminating in his retirement as vice president and corporate secretary of a Filipino-owned group of companies.