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Meralco just made a bold move into the future of energy.

At the 2025 Giga Summit in Makati, Meralco Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan—more popularly known as MVP—officially launched the company’s Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) program. It’s a major step forward in exploring how nuclear energy could play a role in powering the Philippines in the years to come.

“Today, Meralco’s NEST has been launched,” MVP announced during his keynote speech. “This is our internal program to assess what it would take to responsibly put up a nuclear power plant in the Philippines.”

Let’s break that down a bit. Basically, Meralco is taking a serious look at what it means to go nuclear—not just in theory, but in practice. The NEST program is part of Meralco’s long-term vision to offer cleaner, more reliable, and sustainable energy to Filipinos. Think of it as Meralco’s way of preparing for the future, one where nuclear power could be part of the country’s energy mix.

But this isn’t just about building one plant and calling it a day. The NEST initiative is taking a multi-track approach. That means Meralco is looking at large-scale projects, small modular reactors (SMRs), and even the possibility of bringing back to life the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant—yes, the same one that’s been sitting idle for decades.

Meralco isn’t doing this alone. MVP shared that they’re already talking to international nuclear energy leaders—from France to the U.S. to South Korea. Just recently, they signed a deal with Électricité de France (EDF) with support from the French ambassador. They’re also in talks with the U.S. government for technical assistance and support.

“We’re touching base with a number of countries familiar with nuclear energy,” MVP added, showing just how globally connected this initiative is.

Of course, going nuclear is not something that can be done overnight—or without local support. Pangilinan was candid in saying that Meralco needs help from Philippine lawmakers to shape the necessary legal and regulatory framework for nuclear power.

And it’s not just about technology—it’s also about talent. This year’s NEST launch builds on Meralco’s 2023 FISSION program (Filipino Scholars and Interns on Nuclear Engineering), which sent five young scholars to China and the U.S. to study nuclear engineering. Once they return, they’ll help lead the charge back home.

“These bold steps are driven not just by infrastructure, but by intellectual readiness as well,” said Ronnie L. Aperocho, President of Meralco Power Academy and Meralco COO. “We continue to be the vehicle of thought leadership, capability-building, and talent development for everyone in the energy sector.”

The 2-day Giga Summit 2025, themed “The Fusion of Power and Intelligence”, served as the perfect stage for this game-changing announcement. It brought together local and global energy experts, leaders, and policymakers to exchange ideas and discuss the future of power in the Philippines.