Grade 12 students attend BNPP tour

11/15/2019 08:15:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Enlightened. The Applied Sciences and Engineering class of Batch 2020, along with several students of the other tracks, UPIS faculty, and staff of the Bataan Nuclear Power during the plant tour. Photo credit: Laurice Pineda

The Applied Sciences and Engineering (ASE) class of Batch 2020 and several students of the Business and Entrepreneurship and Social Sciences and Humanities tracks, attended a tour of the Bataan Nuclear Powerplant (BNPP) sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE), last October 25.

BNPP employees, Wilfredo Torres and Jose Garcia Manalo, served as the tour facilitators who discussed the BNPP's background, conditions and functions.

Humble beginnings. A close-up photo of a nuclear pellet where the fission of uranium oxide can occur. Photo credit: Gabriel Ulanday

Background

The construction of BNPP in Morong, Bataan started in 1976 by order of then President Ferdinand Marcos. However, in light of the Three Mile Island nuclear incident in the United States of America, its construction was suspended in June 1979 for a safety evaluation under the Puno Commission. This was followed by public hearings on its safety from July 1979 to September 1980.

The Commission found BNPP to be safe, but it still suggested the installation of additional safety measures. Finally, in January 1981, its full construction resumed until it was completed in 1985.

The administration’s plan was to build several nuclear power plants on the same site, so the initial name for BNPP was Philippine Nuclear Power Plant I (PNPP I). However only PNPP I (BNPP) was constructed because of oppositions to this project.

Oppositions against BNPP

Aside from alleged corruption and fraud issues, the government under former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino decided to mothball BNPP in April 1986 in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the Ukraineian Soviet Socialist Republic.

The lack of facilities to safely store and dispose of highly radioactive nuclear waste has also been a main concern. Another argument raised is the alleged proximity of an active fault line and two dormant volcanoes to the plant's location.

To counter these arguments, the BNPP management said that the BNPP can withstand a magnitude 8 earthquake and it is located 13 km from Mt. Natib and 22 km from Mt. Mariveles, several kilometers away from the 9 km danger zone of alert level 4 set by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

Standing strong. The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant has been dormant for more than 30 years. Photo credit: Gabriel Ulanday

Full of potential. A photo of the nuclear reactor core made up by fuel assemblies supposedly filled with nuclear pellets. Photo credit: Gabriel Ulanday

The 2.3 billion power plant uses a Generation II nuclear reactor, the type used by most functioning nuclear power plants in different countries.

BNPP is powered by a series of uranium-235 nuclear fission that heats water contained in the reactor. The heated water flows to a pressurized cell that retains the water in its liquid state. The water then circulates inside a heat exchanger to boil another container of water. The heated water’s steam moves the turbine that powers the generator to produce 650 megawatts of electricity. Finally, the steam is cooled by seawater that will transform it back to liquid state for reuse.

Active learners. Photos of the attendees going around the area where the reactor's generator is. Photo credit: Gabriel Ulanday

In 2016, President Rodrigo Duterte considered reviving BNPP. The administration ordered for safety tests to be run, however results have not yet been sent. Without the assurance that BNPP is in good condition, operations cannot proceed.

Curious minds. Several attendees observing the main control room. Photo credit: Gabriel Ulanday

Keen listeners. Several attendees listening to the explanation on how the reactor works. Photo credit: Gabriel Ulanday

Grade 11 ASE students also attended the tour on November 8.

“Marami po kasing negative ‘perspectives’ sa nuclear power plants, mainly dahil sa mga aksidenteng naganap sa ibang lugar. Pero sa field trip, kinlaro po ng tour guides yung mga yun. Bukod pa po doon, marami din po talaga kaming natutunan about nuclear enegry, how it works, at pati na rin po yung economic implications niya," Lian Sasing, a Grade 11 ASE student, shared.

Aldrich Agad and Bree Catibog also shared how helpful the hands-on activity was to further understand the current topic in their Science class.

The final BNPP tour for Grade 10 ASE students happened on November 15. //by Cedric Creer, Aldric De Ocampo,  Tracy Mondragón, Erika Sasazawa, Cyñl Tecson, and Gabe Ulanday

Unforgettable experience. The attendees and Bataan Nuclear Power Plant staff inside the seminar room. Photo credit: Cristy Maguyon and Joan Romero-Delloro