MANILA - The Philippines is ready to tap nuclear power, according to an energy consultancy group.

Mark Nelson, founder and managing director of Radiant Energy Group, said the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant can be restarted in a few years and be a source of cheap power for the country.

"Fortunately some of the world's top experts on exactly the plant you have, they've checked already and it looks like it will be 3-4 years, and it looks like it would be 1 or 2 billion dollars," Nelson said.

Nelson also downplayed concerns over the safety of the plant saying the BNPP was built according to the most stringent safety standards.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, whose father commissioned the building of the BNPP, earlier said he is open to adding nuclear power to the country’s energy mix.

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