Consumers Left in the Dark: Nuclear Energy Push Raises Questions on Public Participation

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

30 September 2025 — The flickering light of the Philippines’ energy supply has long symbolized the uncertainty and instability plaguing the nation’s power sector. With demand surging and electricity rates stubbornly high, the government is turning to nuclear power as the next great solution.

But as the country takes its most decisive step toward embracing nuclear energy through the passage of Republic Act 12305, the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, an unsettling question emerges: where are the consumers in this national conversation?

A Law Built on Safety—and Skepticism

Spearheaded by Pangasinan 2nd District Rep. Mark Cojuangco, RA 12305 institutionalizes nuclear safety measures and regulatory frameworks that mirror the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). At its core is the creation of the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Safety Authority (PhilATOM)—an independent regulator designed to separate oversight from the research and promotional arms of nuclear development.

In tandem, the government has established the Nuclear Energy Program–Inter-Agency Committee, led by the Department of Energy, to handle technical, legal, and environmental concerns surrounding nuclear adoption. On paper, it’s a monumental leap toward a structured and internationally compliant nuclear regime.

But for Kuryente.org National Coordinator Bas Umali, the triumph is incomplete.

“Consumers are being left behind in the nuclear sector,” Umali warns. “These developments look good on paper, but there is still no clear mechanism for the direct participation of electricity consumers—the very stakeholders most affected by rising prices, safety concerns, and long-term energy decisions.”

A Future Without a Voice?

The absence of consumer representation is glaring. While government agencies, legislators, and energy experts debate nuclear integration, millions of Filipino households remain silent in the margins—waiting, watching, and paying some of the highest electricity rates in Asia.

The promise of nuclear energy—cheaper, cleaner, more reliable power—cannot be fully realized if consumers are reduced to mere spectators. Nuclear decisions are not just about megawatts and reactors; they are about trust, transparency, and accountability.

For a country still haunted by the ghost of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP)—a monument to billions spent without a single kilowatt produced—consumer skepticism is not paranoia; it’s prudence.

The Price of Exclusion

If the government fails to secure consumer confidence, nuclear power could become yet another contentious national project, marred by protests, mistrust, and controversy. “We must not forget that consumers are among the largest stakeholders in the energy sector,” Umali stresses. “The government is duty-bound to serve them by ensuring secure, affordable, and sustainable energy.”

Kuryente.org, a consumer welfare watchdog, argues that transparency and genuine dialogue are non-negotiable. Without a seat at the table, Filipinos risk being forced into an energy future they neither shaped nor agreed to—one where they shoulder both the benefits and the dangers of nuclear power, without ever having a voice.

A Call to Action

The passage of RA 12305 is indeed historic. It signals the Philippines’ bold step toward a nuclear-powered future. But history also warns us that progress without people’s trust is fragile.

For nuclear power to truly light up the Philippines, the government must illuminate not just reactors, but also the path to consumer inclusion. That means building platforms for dialogue, mandating representation, and embedding public participation at every level of decision-making.

Because in the end, nuclear power is not just about energy—it’s about the people who will live with it, pay for it, and rely on it for generations to come.

Until then, the light remains flickering.

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