Meralco inks partnerships with foreign universities for nuke energy push

POWERING A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE. Meralco teams up with more international universities and institutions for its nuclear energy initiatives. Seen in the photo are (front row, L-R) University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Professor and Department Head Rizwan Uddin, Meralco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ronnie L. Aperocho, UIUC College of Engineering Dean & Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering Rashid Bashir, Meralco Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer and Head Edgardo V. Carasig, (back row, L-R) Meralco Power Academy Executive Director Ian Chester V. Colorina, Meralco First Vice President and Head of Networks Froilan J. Savet, UIUC Associate Professor Caleb Brooks, and UIUC Teaching Professor Leon Liebenberg during the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony in Illinois, USA

The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) has signed a bevy of collaboration deals with universities in Asia and North America to be its knowledge partners in research and development and the adoption of nuclear energy in the country.

"These milestone collaborations with reputable international institutions reinforce our commitment to explore the adoption of nuclear energy in the country. These partnerships will help us better understand nuclear technologies, ensuring that challenges are addressed, and plans are well aligned with government policies before deployment," Meralco executive vice president and chief operating officer Ronnie L. Aperocho said.

Manuel V. Pangilinan-led power distributor signed memoranda of understanding (MOU) with North American institutions Ontario Tech University in Canada and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in the United States.

Meralco also visited China to sign an MOU with Harbin Engineering University (HEU) and Tsinghua University. Both universities are partners of the China National Nuclear Corporation Overseas Ltd.

The partnerships with foreign universities aim to ensure the provision of adequate knowledge on managing a nuclear power plant, including best practices in the study of nuclear energy. 

This will also enable the co-development and implementation of nuclear energy-related programs and the conduct of joint research projects that will be beneficial to the adoption of alternative power sources in the country.

These also strengthen Meralco's nuclear energy program, through which the company aims to equip Filipinos with expertise in the nuclear power industry.

In 2023, the company launched its Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering (FISSION) program through Meralco Power Academy (MPA).

The first batch of FISSION scholars is set to start their three—to four-year nuclear engineering programs in the United States and China.

Meralco engineers Gener Atienza and Amiela Nicodemus will study at UIUC, while Marc Ceria, Justin Salas, and Kenneth Tulagan will be deployed to HEU.

The energy education unit of Meralco, MPA, together with the former Dean of Engineering of the University of the Philippines, Dr. Aura Matias, and Filipino-Canadian scientist from the Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., Dr. Ike Dimayuga, shortlisted the top universities offering international graduate programs in nuclear based on their world ranking, track record, access to nuclear energy laboratories, and ongoing research on small and micro modular reactors.

Upon their return to the Philippines in 2028, the scholars will be reintegrated into Meralco and assigned to its nuclear power generation unit.

"Through FISSION, we hope to cultivate the next generation of strong innovators in the field of nuclear energy, empowering and further enhancing the competencies of energy professionals to advance sustainable energy solutions for the country," Aperocho concluded.