Manila Electric Company Advances Small Modular Reactor Feasibility Study in the Philippines

Manila Electric Company (Meralco) and its power generation arm, Meralco PowerGen Corporation (MGEN), have commissioned U.S. engineering firm Sargent & Lundy and its Philippine local partner, AMH Philippines Inc. (AMH), to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

MGEN announced on September 1 (local time) that the study is part of a $2.8 million technical assistance program provided by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). The program was officially announced in February 2026, with the goal of completing the research work by the fourth quarter of 2027.

Under the arrangement, the study will evaluate the feasibility, implementation timeline, and integration pathways for incorporating Small Modular Reactors into the Philippines' future energy mix for the One Meralco Group (One Meralco). One Meralco has established a dedicated SMR working group to advance related efforts in collaboration with Sargent & Lundy and AMH during the study period.

Under the commissioning agreement, Sargent & Lundy will conduct a vendor-neutral assessment in accordance with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards and globally accepted practices. The scope of the study includes technology assessment, site selection analysis, grid access and integration, financial planning, and decision-making framework development.

MGEN President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Rubio stated that this collaboration will advance the company's nuclear energy development roadmap to a more operational, data-driven assessment phase under its strategic nuclear energy transformation plan. He noted that MGEN will continue to study safe, reliable, low-carbon technologies, including Small Modular Reactors, to support the Philippines' long-term energy supply and economic development.

In addition to technical assessments, the study will also organize a series of thematic workshops to enhance the technical capabilities of key energy stakeholders, including MGEN, the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE), and the Philippine Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (PhilATOM).

MGEN's Head of Strategic Energy Transition, Felino M. Bernardo, stated that the project will simultaneously consider the Philippines' technical, financial, and regulatory realities. The study will not only be used to screen suitable technologies and potential sites, but will also build the capability foundation needed for MGEN and relevant national agencies to make subsequent decisions.