Manila, Philippines (AHN) - The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will send a mission to Manila in late January to help the Filipino government assess whether a mothballed 620-Megawatt nuclear power plant built by Westinghouse in the 1980s can be revived.

Rehabilitating the nuclear plant or building a new one could cost as much as $1.3 billion and could take five years. Furthermore, they need a decade to prepare, including training the engineers to run it and the regulatory staff to oversee its construction and operation, said Dr. Alumanda M. dela Rosa, head of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute.

It is important that consultations with a fully informed public are made before final decisions are taken, she told a forum on nuclear power, adding "this may be the most important factor to consider."

The nuclear plant was 90 percent ready to load fuel when it was scrapped over safety concerns and corruption allegations. Located in Morong Point two hours north of Manila, it has been idle since its completion in 1986 at a cost of $2.3 billion.

It is safe to operate the nuclear plant again provided rehabilitation and upgrading meet current regulatory requirements, said Dr. Carlito R. Aleta, a former IAEA official and now Philippine science attaché to Vienna.

The government has yet to decide whether to operate a nuclear plant or give it to private firms. A bill has been filed in Congress for the establishment of an independent regulatory body to oversee construction and operation if ever the nuclear energy option is taken.

Paul Icamina - AHN News Writer

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