US and Philippines sign landmark nuclear deal

2023-11-17 20:53:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US and Philippines sign landmark nuclear deal

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos

The United States and the Philippines signed a landmark deal on Friday that would allow Washington to export nuclear technology and materials to Manila, which is exploring the use of nuclear power to decarbonize and increase energy independence, Reuters reports.

"The United States will be able to share equipment and materials with the Philippines as it works to develop small modular reactors and other civilian nuclear power infrastructure," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a signing ceremony on the sidelines of APEC Summit in San Francisco.

Negotiations on the 123 Agreement began in November 2022.

"We see nuclear power becoming part of the Philippines' energy mix by 2032, and we are more than happy to follow this path with the United States," President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a speech.

The agreement requires the approval of the US Congress, which would allow a peaceful transfer of nuclear material, equipment and information in accordance with non-proliferation requirements.

By the end of 2022, the United States had 23 agreements covering 47 countries, the International Atomic Energy Agency and democratically governed Taiwan.

The Philippines wants to use nuclear power as a viable alternative source of baseload energy as it seeks to phase out coal plants to help meet climate goals and increase energy security. The Southeast Asian nation is vulnerable to volatile global oil prices, seasonal power outages and high electricity tariffs./ CNA