Chapter 169: The Future of Energy

June 6th, 2028TG Tower – Executive Operations Floor (Energy Division Planning Room)

2:18 PM

It wasn’t a full boardroom.

Just a long rectangular planning table, walls lined with real-time energy maps, grid overlays, seismic risk zones, typhoon frequency charts, and DOE’s archived nuclear feasibility studies.

Jose Reyes stood beside Timothy, arms crossed, studying a large projected map showing the Philippine archipelago—color-coded according to feasibility.

Green zones: theoretically viable.


Yellow: possible but heavily conditional.

Red: off-limits.

A DOE mark on each.

Jose zoomed in. "Sir, DOE released three preferred sites for conventional nuclear facilities back in the 2010s. We refined them based on new data. Want to walk through them?"

Timothy nodded.

Jose tapped the first one.

1. Morong, Bataan – The Original BNPP Site

The map zoomed into Bataan. The coastline, access roads, proximity to Subic, existing grid connection points—all highlighted.

"Still the most logical starting point," Jose said. "Existing transmission lines, coastal access, stable bedrock foundation, and it’s already designated as a potential nuclear zone by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)."

Timothy didn’t interrupt. He knew Bataan’s advantages.

"Estimated CapEx for a 1,000 MW conventional reactor: ₱220 to ₱260 billion," Jose continued. "Construction timeline: six to seven years, assuming streamlined permitting. Strategic advantage: fastest deployment due to existing technical records."

Timothy raised a brow. "Public resistance?"

Jose exhaled. "Manageable. The locals have lived beside BNPP for decades. They just want clarity, not promises."

Timothy nodded. "Good. Bataan will be Facility One."

Jose clicked.

2. San Carlos City, Negros Occidental – Central Philippines Nuclear Corridor

The map shifted to Negros. A wide inland area near sugarcane plains, adjacent to port access at Bacolod, with grid connections running to Iloilo and Cebu.

"San Carlos passed all large-scale generation feasibility requirements," Jose explained. "Low seismic activity, wide plateau foundation, deepwater access via Bacolod or Cebu for heavy component delivery. And—most importantly—it’s geographically central. Ideal for anchoring the Visayas grid."

Timothy looked at it carefully.

Cost estimates appeared on screen.

"₱235 to ₱290 billion for a twin 800 MW facility," Jose said. "The Visayas grid has been unstable for years due to dependence on coal and geothermal. This could stabilize it permanently."

Timothy studied it a bit longer.

Then: "That becomes Facility Two."

Jose clicked again.

3. General Santos / Sarangani Bay Region – Mindanao High-Capacity Industrial Deployment

The map zoomed to Southern Mindanao.

Industrial ports, fishery exports, Mindanao container terminals—highlighted.

"This one," Jose said carefully, "is long-term but high-impact. Mindanao historically had surplus hydropower, but demand is rising."

He zoomed further.

"This site approaches one key thing—exports," he continued. "If Aurora Power Project succeeds—large-scale nuclear near General Santos could support energy-intensive industries, like hydrogen production, steel manufacturing, and even semiconductor fabs."

Timothy slowly folded his arms.

"CapEx?"

"₱210 to ₱240 billion," Jose replied. "Single reactor first. Expandable."

Timothy nodded once.

That was enough.

All three conventional sites were now listed.

Bataan – Luzon Core Facility

Negros – Central Grid Hub

General Santos – Southern Industrial Reactor

Timothy looked at the three locations.

"Total deployment timeline for three facilities?"

"Thirteen to fifteen years," Jose answered.

Timothy didn’t react.

He expected it.

"First one breaks ground in twenty months," Jose added.

Timothy nodded.

He turned to the second screen—where smaller blue dots were marked across multiple TG facility locations.

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) – TG Facility-Level Deployment

Jose now stood straighter.

"These aren’t public grid plants," he said. "These are corporate reactors—internal power sources. Secured, isolated, designed for industrial campus-level use only."

Timothy stepped closer.

SMR locations appeared.

Subic – TG Motors & EV Plant (Aurora Manufacturing Complex).

Tarlac – Near Sentinel Energy Battery Storage & Research Facility.

Clark Tech Park – Semiconductor R&D, AI Data Processing Center.

Batangas Port Zone – Logistics and Maritime Power Hub.

Cebu Industrial Hub – Future EV Assembly & Charging Network Plant.

"These are 50 to 100 MW capacity SMRs," Jose explained. "Designed not for city grids—but directly powering industrial operations."

He clicked open the projected costs.

"The costs look lower than the earlier projections you showed investors," Timothy noted.

"They were," Jose agreed, "but after initial meetings, we revised the modular deployment model. Now we’re targeting factory-built standardization. Less on-site fabrication, more assembly."

Timothy absorbed the information.

Jose added, "And unlike conventional plants—these won’t rely much on government funding. They can be corporate-financed, licensed under the new energy private deployment exemption."

Timothy nodded.

That was the key.

Private nuclear.

No more waiting for state-level bureaucracy—only regulatory oversight.

Jose continued, "Once the first SMR goes live—that changes everything. It proves to the world that the Philippines can deploy nuclear independently of foreign government intervention."

"That," Timothy said, "is exactly the point."

The room was quiet.

Not tense.

Just focused.

Jose spoke again.

"Sir—there’s one more possibility. Long-term. Research-driven."

Timothy turned.

Jose pulled up one more file—the least flashy, but arguably the most ambitious.

???? Ilocos Norte – Aurora Energy Innovation Park (Future R&D Testing for Microreactors)

"Testing grounds for future technologies," Jose said. "Not commercial scale. Research only. Nuclear innovation, reactor modeling, robotics, AI safety protocols."

Timothy stared at the screen.

More governments would fight for flashy large plants.

But research?

That would attract the right kind of people.

Scientists. Engineers. Real builders.

He nodded.

"Make it Phase 5," he said.

Jose exhaled and finally closed his laptop.

Timothy looked at all six sites on the visualization screen.

Three conventional.

Five SMR deployments.

One research zone.

"Jose," he said.

"Yes, sir?"

"We’re building more than reactors."

Jose nodded slowly.

"Yes, sir. We’re building certainty."

Timothy stared at the Philippine map a moment longer.

Then finally spoke—

"Begin drafting national-reliance power independence model. Full deployment plan. Timeline, manpower, projected job creation."

Jose nodded and stood, gathering the files.

Timothy watched the screen again.

The Philippines had never exported energy.

But one day, it could. Imagine the Philippines becoming an energy exporter to nearby countries, and the profit from it would definitely increase the economy of the Philippines and the net worth of his company. It was an exhilarating thought and since that everything is going according to plan, all he could do now was wait for the completion of the construction and reap all the benefits.