# Ep138 - Is the Philippines Ready for Nuclear Energy?

An episode of [Behind The Science Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753464681), 27 Aug 2026, 1 h 04 min.

Audio: https://anchor.fm/s/ee2ce360/podcast/play/124717065/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-7-25%2F430515119-44100-2-26c7628d508aa.mp3

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Carlo Arcilla, a geologist and former director of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) and the UP National Institute of Geological Sciences, about whether the Philippines is ready for nuclear energy. He explains why the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents people associate with nuclear energy are not likely to happen Bataan. He also addresses the geologic hazard concerns in the BNPP. Dr. Arcilla also asserts that the Philippines is ready for nuclear energy but he will not advocate for it until the independent regulators are appointed. 0:00 Introduction 2:19 From Catanduanes to geology 15:23 Turning Payatas garbage into electricity 18:47 Leading PNRI and the nuclear waste problem 24:19 The Bataan plant, Chernobyl, and Fukushima29:15 Why an independent nuclear regulator comes first 31:36 Expensive electricity and the three sister plants still running 36:35 The fault question, Mount Natib, and the evidence 40:47 The DOE surveys: why most Filipinos favor nuclear 44:26 Do we have the engineers to run a nuclear plant? 47:25 Other proposed sites — and is the Philippines ready? 52:01 A 40-year-old plant, TRISO fuel, and small modular reactors 55:27 Advice to aspiring researchers, and alkaline water from nuclear research

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