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BALANGA City, Bataan: The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI)
on Monday tried to show that the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP)
is very different from the Chernobyl Plant in the United States but
young students and other participants in the seminar were not
convinced. These students maintained their opposition to the revival
of the mothballed plant located in Napot Point, Morong.
Eulinia Valdezco, PNRI engineer, made it clear,
however, that they were not in Bataan to pave the way for the
opening of the BNPP. She pointed out that the seminar was on nuclear
awareness, not specifically on nuclear power plants, and it is held
in various regions of the country.
Valdezco and Dr. Cristina Petrache, also of the
PNRI, underscored the difference between the BNPP and the Chernobyl
Plant in the US. “There is a big difference in the design because
the BNPP is a Western-designed reactor that protects the community
from contamination while Chernobyl has no reactor containment,”
Valdezco said.
The two scientists also allayed fears that
marine life in the vicinity of the nuclear power plant will be
destroyed by the hot water emitted by the plant. “The water
emission will be strictly monitored such that its temperature will
not go beyond 60 degrees centigrade and there are observations that
fishes in the area even grow fatter,” they said.
As for the nuclear plant being located on Mount
Natib, an inactive volcano in Bataan, Valdezco said modern
technology permits the building of infrastructures even on top of an
earthquake fault although the cost will be very expensive.
As to the problem on nuclear wastes brought up
by some participants, the speakers said that the BNPP was designed
to have a storage for wastes that will last for five years that was
extendable.
While the two scientists did their best and were
very good in handling the sensitive issue, many of the participants
were not convinced. A group of students from the Bataan National
High School said they still do not like the BNPP to operate.
“Delikado,” was their simple reply.
-- Ernie B. Esconde
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