The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is currently studying the feasibility and possibility of converting the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP) to a hyperscale data center.
DICT Secretary Henry Aguda recently told media the mothballed nuclear plant has the necessary facilities to cater to a large-scale data center, including infrastructure, a suitable location, and fiber optic connectivity, among others.
He said they would finish their technical feasibility study once the evaluation being done by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA Philippines) is finished. The KOICA Philippines study being done is in coordination with the Department of Energy (DOE). It aims to evaluate the feasibility for the revival of the power plant to boost the country’s energy sources. Th study is targeted to be finished by November this year.
Asked whether the DICT also considers a public-private partnership for the possible development of the BNPP as a data center, Aguda said they are still considering the options, and have discussed the idea with hyperscalers, which have raised issues on power supply and connectivity.
Aguda said the government has addressed power issues through the approval of more power projects. In his speech during the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) membership meeting in Makati City Wednesday, he said the country no longer has the most expensive power rate in Asia as a result.
In terms of internet connectivity, Aguda said the government will be able to address this issue through the National Fiber Backbone (NFB) project. When asked about the government’s digitization measures, he said hyperscalers are now more convinced that there is a market for big data centers in the country.
He, however, noted that with the government focused on ensuring connectivity around the country for now, it may be more feasible to partner with private sector providers for hyperscale data centers, pointing out that the private sector has more big data centers now compared to DICT alone.
“To build a facility like that will take you two years. And now, we’re in a hurry to provide the (internet connectivity) service right away. So, the fastest way is to tap the private sector,” he pointed out.