US, PH find ways to boost energy cooperation

THE United States (US) and the Philippines have discussed ways to “deepen” their cooperation on energy security, energy access and the clean energy transition, the US Department of State (DoS) said.

It said that the two countries launched on April 17 the inaugural US-Philippines Energy Policy Dialogue (EPD).

The EPD aims to advance commitments by the US and the Philippines on energy as agreed upon during Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to the Philippines in November 2022.

Laura Lochman, the US State Department's principal deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Energy Resources, and Beth Urbanas, the US Department of Energy's deputy assistant secretary for Asia and the Americas, co-led the US delegation.

Department of Energy Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Felix William Fuentebella led the Philippines delegation.

“Both delegations reviewed the progress of current energy projects in the Philippines and established priorities for future cooperation and technical support,” the State Department said.

Vice President Kamala Harris smiles after giving remarks ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act at McKinstry Tuesday, August 15, 2023, in Seattle. AP PHOTO

“They emphasized the centrality of energy security, decarbonization and collaboration among nations with shared values to sustained economic development amid the region's rapid economic growth and rising energy demands,” it added.

The discussion reinforced the role of energy cooperation in strengthening the US-Philippines partnership.

It also focused on accelerating the deployment of renewable energy, modernizing and expanding transmission, and reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Washington and Manila also reaffirmed the “importance of nuclear energy as a key contributor to energy security” and highlighted ongoing cooperation on small modular reactor capacity building.

Both delegations discussed the “next steps to deepening cooperation and moving forward to deployment under the highest standards of nuclear safety, security and nonproliferation.”

US Department of Energy Deputy Secretary David Turk and Urbanas will visit the Philippines to continue engagement and partnership on shared energy transition priorities, the DoS said.