Escudero cautions against nuclear energy
SENATOR Francis “Chiz” Escudero has cautioned the government against pursuing proposals to revive the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), saying other sources of safer and cheaper energy should be pursued first.
The warning came just as the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, through Board Member Ranjit Ramos Shahani, announced that former 5th District Rep. Mark Cojuangco is coming to their session this week to pursue his proposal of conducting a feasibility study on setting up nuclear plants in Pangasinan.
Cojuangco filed a bill in the last Congress seeking the revival of BNPP to help solve the impending power crisis in the country. His wife Kimi Cojuangco, who was elected to replace him as district representative, has refilled the bill in the present Congress.
Escudero, on the other hand, is calling on the government to consider natural sources of energy such as geothermal, solar and wind, which are readily available in the country.
Escudero said any move to resurrect the Bataan nuclear plant should take a back seat until a comprehensive study and planning had been carried out by experts.
“While the use of this technology should not be totally set aside, it is important that we should go slow, gain expertise and learn from the best practices as well as the shortcomings and mistakes of countries which rely on nuclear energy,” Escudero explained.
Some members of the provincial board, who signed a resolution last year endorsing the revival of the BNPP and the construction of not one but three nuclear plants in Pangasinan, have said they maintain that position despite the recent situation in Japan.
Sixth District Board Member Alfonso Bince Jr. said he and Von Mark Mendoza, Angel Baniqued, Jeremy Rosario, Danilo Uy, Amadeo Espino who were all in the previous board, are standing pat on their resolution.
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