Our energy ‘Sputnik’ moment

DIE HARD III
Herman Tiu Laurel
9/30/2011



As the nation is rising up against the control and abuse of the oligarchs and their captured energy regulators, we — the original and decades-long anti-power price gouging crusaders — gladly welcome the recent clamor from various business and labor groups calling government to immediately curtail electricity price hikes. Foremost among their demands is a return to the old 12-percent Return-on-Rate Base (RoRB) from the current 15.8-percent Performance Based Regulation (PBR) pricing formula concocted by the ERC (Energy Regulatory Commission) and Meralco (Manila Electric Co.).

Since this clamor must attain broad participation from the people, a national electricity summit should be called to set forth the demands addressed directly to Malacañang. At the same time, some dramatic demonstration of the resolve must be made, such as holding a vigil in front of Malacañang — not the ERC or Meralco — where there ought to be no let-up until a return to the RoRB is achieved. It is, after all, best to strike while the nation is hot under the collar versus the PBR.

But it’s also time to alert everyone on a related matter that is of strategic importance. Competition for traditional energy sources has, for all intents and purposes, reached it peak. From the sands of the Libyan desert stretching across the whole of northern Africa, down to our very own Mindanao and Sulu Sea, all the way up to the northernmost tip of the Earth where advanced countries are all staking claims to the Arctic’s submarine energy stores, the race is definitely on.

Sadly, unless there is a change of direction in our country’s mendicant politics, whatever resources lie within the Philippine territory are going to be ceded to foreign powers and interests. And this is one thing our people have to sort out eventually if they are to gain control of our nation’s wealth.

Fortunately, there is another level at which we Filipinos can break ground to establish strategic energy sourcing and stability.

When the vision of some political blocs inspired by business proposals from foreign nuclear energy companies like Kepco (Korea Electric Power Corp.) and their financiers to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) collapsed in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the myopia that was really behind it became immediately evident. Proponents of the BNPP revival simply never understood energy and nuclear issues. They saw only the money angle and, in the best tradition of oligarchic politics, sought to take advantage of government money to fund a foreign-instigated proposition.

And when Fukushima happened, they folded and ran with the tail between their legs, offering no alternative to the long-term energy problem they say needs solving. But, thanks to UP physicist and technology guru Dr. Roger Posadas, what we have is an opportunity for a real-long term solution — still with nuclear energy.

While we were scheduling a cable TV discussion on energy, Dr. Posadas brought to our attention the Philippines’ own capability of mastering the thorium cycle. He says that we can build thorium reactors to produce energy at a vastly safer level and lower cost factor than uranium reactors. To top it all, he says (and this is confirmed by many studies) that the Philippines has its own abundant thorium resources in Palawan’s monazite deposits.

Excitement over thorium around the world is palpable. In this Forbes article by William Pentland (“Is Thorium the Biggest Energy Breakthrough Since Fire? Possibly”), it says: “Thorium is more abundant than uranium in the Earth’s crust. The world has an estimated 4.4 million tons of total known and estimated thorium resources, according to the International Atomic Energy Association’s 2007 Red Book.”

But, aside from availability, thorium does not allow weapons grade by-products.

From The Energy Collective of “the world’s best thinkers on energy and climate,” comes this Aug. 23 report (“Indian and Chinese Development, Nonproliferation and Thorium”): “By the middle of the 21st Century the combined economic power of India and China will be so great… (And since they) appear committed to developing a thorium nuclear fuel cycle… it would (seem) rational that they both do so.”

India and China are, in fact, planning thorium reactors not by the units but by the dozens each.

In a recent article by climate watcher Anthony Watts (“China announces thorium reactor energy program, Obama still dwelling on ‘Sputnik moments’”), the writer chastises US President Barack Obama, telling him, “This isn’t a ‘Sputnik moment,’ Mr. President, it’s a ‘shit or get off the pot’ moment for US energy policy… Perhaps (China’s) announcement will be the embarrassment like Sputnik for the US government that will compel them to finally do something about our energy future besides tilt at windmills.”

As I am exasperated with this country’s pathological myopia toward nuclear energy (and other real baseload energy sources), I have tried to limit the debate to the decade-old outrage that is the Epira (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) and its massive price gouging on consumers. However, over and above taking deliberate action, such as that proposed vigil or maybe even an indefinite hunger strike, I believe that foresight and concern for our children’s future should also lead us to discuss strategic alternatives. In doing so, we will expose (and hopefully obliterate) the selfish shortsightedness of the ruling elite that destroys our nation’s economic fiber. Thus, to kick things off, I’m proposing a “Thorium Energy Summit” that will call on our scientists and other concerned sectors to share knowledge and insights in the run-up to our own “Sputnik” moment.

(Tune in to Sulo ng Pilipino/Radyo OpinYon, Monday to Friday, 5 to 6 p.m. on 1098AM; Talk News TV with HTL, Saturday, 8:15 to 9 p.m., with replay at 11 p.m., on GNN, Destiny Cable Channel 8 on “ERC-Meralco Conspiracies?” with former Mayor Jun Simon and power industry expert and entrepreneur Jojo Borja; visit http://newkatipunero.blogspot.com for our articles plus TV and radio archives)