THE Manuel V. Pangilinan-led Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has reinforced its commitment to its Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program through strengthened collaborations and new partnerships with leading energy and technology institutions in South Korea.
Meralco, through its energy education unit Meralco Power Academy (MPA), signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School (KINGS) where Meralco will be sending scholars beginning March 2026. This forms part of Meralco’s Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering (FISSION) program through which the company aims to build a skilled workforce in the highly specialized field of nuclear engineering.
Established by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), KINGS offers an industry-integrated curriculum as well as access to live plant data, simulators, field visits, and digital learning environments tailored to nuclear operations and reactor management.
Building on a partnership formalized in February this year, Meralco also discussed potential collaborations with KEPCO on smart grid modernization, storm hardening, and energy transition strategies—particularly on advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) rollout, grid automation, data analytics, and distributed energy resource integration.
Meralco and KEPCO also reaffirmed their push for mutual capability-building initiatives. MPA is set to host more than 20 students from KEPCO-operated Sudo Electric Technical High School in the first quarter of 2026. Since 2023, MPA has hosted 71 students as part of the foreign institution’s Philippine Technical and Cultural Immersion Program.
More engagements
During a recent visit to South Korea, Meralco also entered into an agreement with DL Engineering & Construction to explore the deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in the Philippines. The MOU covers feasibility studies, site assessments, and long-term strategic planning. Meralco expressed its strong interest in SMRs as a future-ready solution, particularly for off-grid areas in the country.
Meralco also held site visits and strategic dialogues with its existing partners, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), Samsung C&T Corporation, and LG Energy Solutions whose Namwon Substation is home to South Korea’s largest Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
“Our strategic engagements in South Korea underscores our commitment to the responsible development of nuclear energy. By partnering with global leaders with deep institutional knowledge, technical expertise and actual experience in operating nuclear facilities, we are building our own capabilities to ensure sustainable and safe adoption of nuclear energy in the Philippines,” Meralco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho said.
“The insights and best practices we’ve gained will help us in our thrust to contribute to the development of the energy industry, and more importantly, to support our country’s long-term energy security in a way that prioritizes the welfare and wellbeing of every Filipino,” he added.
Through its NEST program, Meralco is actively exploring a multi-track approach that evaluates all viable deployment pathways for the safe and responsible integration of nuclear power into the Philippine energy mix as a long-term, low-carbon energy solution.| – Kabayannews.net
