Bishop Renews Appeal to Junk BNPP Revival

MANILA, March 13, 2011— Plans to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant must be abandoned fully, a Catholic bishop appealed after a nuclear emergency was declared in earthquake-hit Japan.

Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez said Japan’s situation should serve as an ample warning to the Philippine government to totally give up plans to resurrect BNPP.

“What is happening in Japan confirmed our fear even before up to now that’s why we oppose plans to revive the nuclear plant in Bataan,” Iñiguez said.

According to him, the BNPP would not benefit the country and could instead expose the Filipinos to unnecessary dangers.

He said its consequence, especially as proven by the Japanese experience, are certainly not worth its supposed benefits.

“They should intently follow what is happening in Japan on its results if nuclear malfunction occurs,” Iñiguez said.

Japan officials are now probing whether a meltdown has occurred at the Fukushima No 1 nuclear power plant after Friday’s 8.9-magnitude earthquake and tsunami.

People have already been evacuated around a 10-km radius of the plant after the nuke plant had explosions and vented smoke to the air.

Explosions happened when hydrogen-filled steam, released to reduce pressure from overheating reactors, reacted with oxygen. (CBCPNews)