Another look at nuclear power
Nuclear power, if properly harnessed, can meet the rising energy demands of developing countries such as the Philippines, cutting power costs for both household and industrial users. The idea of drastically bringing down air-conditioning bills and manufacturing costs can be irresistible to many quarters.But before the government expends a lot of time, effort and taxpayers’ money on studies to harness nuclear power for peaceful uses, there are several things to consider. One is that while nuclear power can cut electricity bills and is cleaner than energy derived from fossil fuels, nuclear waste is toxic, volatile garbage that cannot be recycled and is non-biodegradable. The world’s best minds have not yet found a way to dispose of nuclear waste without posing a threat to the environment.
Another factor that must be considered is the site for a nuclear plant. The $2.3-billion Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was mothballed partly because it was built near an earthquake fault. The Philippines lies along the so-called Ring of Fire – a section of the planet that is littered with active volcanoes and earthquake faults. One nuclear accident can be catastrophic for the country.
Proponents of nuclear power argue that, except for the Chernobyl accident in the former Soviet Union, there has been no major nuclear disaster in the other countries that harness nuclear power for peaceful purposes. But here lies another factor that must be considered: if corruption and sloppy work have given us roads that disintegrate in a downpour and bridges that collapse from the weight of regular vehicular traffic, we are likely to end up with an unsafe nuclear plant like the one in Chernobyl rather than those in Japan or South Korea.
Corruption must also be a serious consideration, given the country’s experience with fat commissions in the construction of the Bataan nuclear plant. The late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was never made to answer for the $80-million commission he reportedly received from power plant builder Westinghouse. If building personal fortunes is the overriding consideration in the latest efforts to harness nuclear power, the idea must be abandoned immediately.
This won’t be a big loss to the Department of Energy. It can always focus on expanding the country’s use of alternative forms of energy, including wind, natural gas and geothermal power. These energy sources produce clean fuel without safety risks.
