MANILA (UPDATE) — The Philippines may start running a nuclear power plant in five years if the proposed program will proceed without any obstacle, an official said Sunday.

"Ang sinabi kong pinakamabilis na magkakaroon tayo ng nuclear plant is five years. Kasi ang pinakamabilis po talaga ay i-rehabilitate ang BNPP, eh, (which is in) 5 years," Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) Director Carlo Arcilla told ABS-CBN's TeleRadyo, referring to the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

(The soonest we can have a working nuclear power plant is in five years. This is because the fastest we can rehabilitate the BNPP is five years.)

Arcilla said South Korea has offered to rehabilitate the BNPP at a cost of $1.1 billion.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed last month an executive order to include nuclear power in the country's energy mix, a move that satisfies one of the 19 milestones set by the International Atomic Energy Agency for a nation to adopt a nuclear program.

• Duterte approves inclusion of nuclear power in Philippine energy mix

EO 164 also directs an inter-agency panel to look into the viability of reopening the BNPP.

"Ang pinakamabilis na paraan para magkaroon tayo ng nuclear [energy] ay buksan si BNPP kasi una, mayroong nag-offer na mag-ayos niyan, si South Korea... Puwede nilang gawin daw within 5 years. So may concrete offer," Arcilla said.

(The fastest way for us to have nuclear energy is to open the BNPP because first, there's already an offer to rehabilitate the plant, from South Korea... They say they can do it within 5 years.)

"Kung gagawa ka ng bago, kung malaki, matagal. Personally, ayoko ng malalaki," he added.

(If you construct new and bigger plants, it will take more time. Personally, I am not in favor of bigger plants.)

Arcilla said the Philippines should consider using nuclear energy sources since the Malampaya field is expected to run out of gas in the next few years.

Coal prices have also risen, which contribute to high power rates in the country, he added.

Despite Duterte's order, the decision to use nuclear energy largely rests on his successors, Arcilla said.

"Depende talaga sa susunod na president. Kung ayaw ng susunod na president ng nuclear, status quo tayo, parang walang nangyari," he said.

(It really depends on the next president. If the next president doesn't want to nuclear energy, we'll remain on status quo, as if nothing happened.)

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During the interview, Arcilla sought to allay fears surrounding the possible operation of the BNPP, saying the facility would be inspected by South Korea — which operates a similar plant — and the IAEA before switching it on.

He added that the government would also consider the opinion of the public.

"Kung ayaw talaga ng mga tao, hindi aandar iyan kasi kasama 'yan sa stakeholders. Stakeholder acceptance is important in nuclear power," he said.

(If the people don't want it, it won't operate because they are part of the stakeholders. Stakeholder acceptance is important in nuclear power.)

In a separate Teleradyo interview, the Nuclear-Free Bataan Movement said it continues to oppose the opening of the plant despite Arcilla's responses to the safety issues.

"Tutol kami diyan (BNPP) noon. At hanggang sa ngayon, tutol pa rin kami diyan," said coordinator Derek Cabe.

(We opposed it then. And until now, we are still opposed to it.)

Cabe said it would be better for the government to invest in renewable energy sources instead of nuclear.

Arcilla argued that nuclear plants "are available 90 percent of the time" as opposed to wind and solar energy, which are available at only 30 percent.

"So kailangan mo pa ring mag-backup," he said.

(You still need to have a backup.)

"We are not considering eliminating... but we cannot also rely on the claims [that] they can provide a baseload power. That's unrealistic," he added.

The BNPP was built in 1976 under the rule of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, in response to an energy crisis.

The plant was completed in 1984 but the government mothballed it 2 years later following Marcos' ouster and the deadly Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

• DOST-PNRI chief urges Duterte to sign draft paper on nuclear energy

In a statement, presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr — son and namesake of the former dictator — said there should be a study on the possible revival of the BNPP.

The Korean Electric Power Corporation earlier conducted a feasibility study on the BNPP's revival. Results in 2010 indicated that 25 percent of the plant needs to be replaced while the rest just needs to be checked.