MANILA (Reuters) - The United States and the Philippines on Friday signed a landmark deal that would allow Washington to export nuclear technology and material to Manila, which is exploring the use of nuclear power to decarbonise and boost energy independence.
"Nuclear energy is one area where we can show the Philippines-U.S. alliance and partnership truly works."
U.S. Congress approval is needed for the deal, which will allow a peaceful transfer of nuclear material, equipment and information in adherence with non-proliferation requirements.
Previous attempts to pursue nuclear energy in the Philippines were halted over safety concerns, but Marcos has discussed the possibility of reviving a mothballed nuclear power plant, built in response to an energy crisis during the rule of the late Philippines strongman and his namesake father.
Completed in 1984, the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant was mothballed two years later following the ouster of the older Marcos, the deadly Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and corruption allegations.
Persons:
Antony Blinken, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, Neil Jerome Morales, Kanupriya Kapoor
Organizations:
APEC, International Atomic Energy Agency, Bataan Nuclear
Locations:
MANILA, United States, Philippines, Washington, Manila, San Francisco, U.S, Taiwan