WNN reports that the cooperation agreement was signed between the Department of Energy (DoE) of the Philippines and Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom in Manila on the sidelines of the 12th East Asia Summit. It was signed by Philippine Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi and Rosatom Deputy Director General Nikolay Spassky. The exchange of the signed documents was witnessed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
Through the MoC, Russia and the Philippines will cooperate in several areas, including carrying out nuclear infrastructure studies towards national energy policy development and nuclear energy programme implementation in the Philippines. The two parties will also conduct an audit and assessment of the technical condition of the mothballed Bataan nuclear power plant, "including the option of its rehabilitation". The first 620 MWe unit of the plant was completed in 1984 but was never fuelled or operated.
Russia will also assist the Philippines in carrying out feasibility studies on the construction of small modular reactors, either onshore or offshore. The Philippines DoE said these studies will "not be limited to analysis of technical, commercial, financial and legal aspects". Feasibility studies on the construction of conventional nuclear power plants may also be carried out, "as may be deemed necessary and consistent with national energy development plans and policies of the Philippines".
The cooperation will be implemented in the form of joint working groups that will undertake specific projects and tasks; the exchange of experts; workshops; training and education of personnel; and sharing of technical information. The MoC will run for five years, but can be extended for a further five years.
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