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Here’s some electrifying news—literally. Meralco, the country’s largest power distributor led by business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan, just signed a strategic deal with Electricité de France (EDF), one of the world’s top electric utility companies, to explore nuclear energy for the Philippines.

Yup, you read that right—nuclear energy.

In a bold move toward energy security and sustainability, Meralco and the French state-controlled energy giant are kicking off a two-year collaboration to study how nuclear power can be part of our future energy mix.

“One of the Philippine government’s key objectives is to achieve greater energy security, and nuclear power is one viable path toward that goal,” said MVP, who also serves as Meralco’s Chairman and CEO. “We see this cooperation as a significant first step, and we’re committed to taking a leadership role in advancing nuclear energy in the Philippines.”

So, what exactly will this partnership do?

Under their signed memorandum of cooperation (MOC), EDF will help Meralco with a feasibility study. That means looking into possible locations, how to plug nuclear into our current power systems, and whether it makes economic sense. EDF will also be offering training programs on nuclear reactor tech and project management—definitely not your everyday training session.

On top of that, the partnership will tap funding opportunities, possibly even from the French government, to support a future nuclear energy program here.

EDF’s Senior VP for International Nuclear Development, Vakisasai Ramany, seems just as pumped. “This is the beginning of what we envision as a remarkable, long-term journey—one that could span the next hundred years,” he said.

Meralco has already been laying the groundwork through its Nuclear Energy Strategic Transition (NEST) initiative. Through the Meralco Power Academy (MPA), they launched the FISSION program in partnership with Université Paris-Saclay to train a new generation of Filipino nuclear engineers. Think of it as building a homegrown nuclear dream team.

They’ve also been talking to French nuclear experts and regulators like the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority and The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission to bring in best practices and tech insights.

It’s clear that Meralco isn’t just dipping its toes into nuclear—it’s diving in with purpose. While there’s still a long way to go before we see nuclear-powered lights in our homes, this partnership with EDF is a powerful spark to get things started.