The US Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) has announced several initiatives to accelerate the deployment of advanced US nuclear technologies to the Philippines. USTDA announced funding for technical assistance to the Philippines Meralco PowerGen Corp (MGEN), to evaluate US small modular reactor (SMR) designs and develop a roadmap for the first SMR NPP. USTDA said the project will help address rising energy demand “and position US industry as a long-term partner for nuclear power development in the country”.
USTDA will fund a $2.7m feasibility study to help Meralco assess and deploy US-designed SMRs in the Philippines. The study will evaluate leading US technologies, identify viable sites, and deliver a high-level implementation roadmap. When finalised, this “will provide a pathway for the deployment of safe and secure advanced US nuclear technologies that will deepen ties between our two countries for decades to come”.
The US State Department announced it would provide a $1.5m nuclear reactor control room simulator to the Philippines under the FIRST (Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology) programme. The simulator is based on NuScale Power’s VOYGR SMR design. It will be installed at a technical institution within the Luzon Economic Corridor, a strategic economic zone in the northern Philippines.
A Public-Private Partnership to Support Workforce Development: Supported by AboitizPower, EōS Organization, TESDA, and the US Department of State, and led by Fulbright Philippines, a new fund has been established to bring US nuclear experts to the Philippines to develop specialised vocational and higher education curricula focused on the civil nuclear industry.
A $2.5m public-private partnership will accelerate the training of a local nuclear workforce in the Philippines. AboitizPower is the first Philippine private firm to support a specialised nuclear leadership exchange, and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is the first government agency to formalise an international partnership specifically for civil nuclear workforce development. The fund will bring US nuclear experts to the Philippines to design specialised vocational and higher education curricula. “This ensures local training aligns with global safety, governance, and regulatory standards.” In partnership with Fulbright Philippines, California-based global energy solutions provider EōS Organisation is funding fellowships and exchange programmes to send Filipino students to the US for specialised nuclear science training.
A USTDA-funded reverse trade mission will bring 10-15 Philippine private sector and government officials to the US for a firsthand look at cutting-edge American reactors, supply chains, and training facilities “to build partnerships that facilitate the deployment of trusted US civil nuclear technology to critical infrastructure in the Philippines”.
In 2026, representatives from the Philippines’ Senate and House of Representatives will travel to the US under FIRST programme cooperation to gain firsthand insights into the technologies, policies, regulatory frameworks, and institutions that enabled the development the US civil nuclear sector.
New funding through the FIRST programme will establish partnerships between Philippine universities and Texas A&M University and King’s College London to support the development and integration of new SMR curricula into engineering programmes in the Philippines. The project will connect professors and senior academics from Philippines to their US and UK counterparts.
“USTDA is proud to lead the US government’s efforts to develop strategic infrastructure projects that both our countries have prioritised,” said Thomas R Hardy, USTDA’s Deputy Director. “Safe, secure, and safeguarded nuclear solutions offer tremendous potential for energy independence. Our funding will advance Meralco’s nuclear energy program, strengthen America’s nuclear industrial base and position trusted US technologies as the foundation for the Philippines’ energy future.”
Meralco Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said: “Through the good graces of the US government, we are laying the groundwork for responsible integration of nuclear into our overall fuel mix. This grant goes beyond funding. It is a demonstration of support from the United States for our vision, our readiness, and our capabilities to lead the adoption of nuclear energy.”
The governments of the Philippines and the USA formalised an Agreement for Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, commonly known as a 123 Agreement, during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in November 2023. This agreement, which went into effect in July 2024 following US congressional approval, established a legal framework for the export of nuclear materials, equipment, and technology from the USA to the Philippines.
