Representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE), National Power Corporation (NPC) and Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) together with experts from the Russian nuclear agency ROSATOM inspect the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.
As part of determining a national position on the utilization of nuclear energy, the Department of Energy (DOE), National Power Corporation (NPC) and Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) embarked on a pre-feasibility study to determine if the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) can be rehabilitated. The study was made with the assistance of Russia's atomic energy corporation ROSATOM.
“Russian nuclear agency ROSATOM provides the study for free as part of the cooperation between the Philippines and Russia,” DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi revealed on Thursday.
The study is an offshoot of the strengthened cooperation forged by the Philippine and Russian governments during the meeting of President Rodrigo Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last May.
The DOE's Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organization (NEPIO) headed by DOE Undersecretary Donato Marcos will define the scope of work for the pre-feasibility study.
"There will be six working groups with specific tasks and programs of activities that will form part of the said pre-feasibility study," Marcos said in a press conference at the NPC Nuclear Village in Bagac on Wednesday.
“These working groups have been established to undertake the study that will last for about two months starting first week of September,” according to Usec. Marcos.
The Structure Stability Analysis Group focuses on selective visual and instrumental inspection, the estimation of their residual life and service life, listing of materials for repair and replacements and the assessment of facilities suitability level for operation.
The Functionality Analysis Group specializes in the instrumentation and control, electrical, mechanical and ventilation equipment, electrical parts/cables and design.
The Documentation Group covers the collection and analysis of existing documents about BNPP, evaluation of compliance with design safety, analysis of safety concept, elaboration of the list of risks and the assessment of design licensability risk.
The Result Analysis working group will determine the construction scope and cost, equipment needed, net revival cost calculation and financial risks and assessments.
There is also a Report Preparation Group, which will come up with the integrated overall schedule of BNPP revival, preliminary assessment on expenses and cost estimates and more importantly, the technical report bearing the preliminary conclusion on the possibility and conditions for the plant’s revival.
Finally, the Working group 6, the Owner’s Support and Assistance, will provide the personal protective equipment, conducive working conditions, office equipment, food and transportation, construction laboratory and approval of the audit program.
The BNPP was visited by the participants to physically assess the work requirements of each working group.
Marcos led the Philippine delegation together with Department of Science and Technology-PNRI Director Dr. Carlo A. Arcilla and NPC Asset Preservation Manager Engr. Mauro Marcelo, Jr., Djurica Tankosic, Worley Parsons, President of Global Nuclear, and Leos Tomicek, Rusatom Overseas Senior Vice President of Nuclear Projects and Project Curator of ROSATOM headed the foreign experts audit team.
The DOE assures the people that it is careful, stringent and comprehensive in formulating a national position for the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy in the country.
Nuclear resource persons flash the E-Power Mo 👊🏼 sign during the ocular inspection of Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP).
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