Singapore releases background paper on nuclear energy, to ink agreements with US research institutes

Generating nuclear energy does not produce greenhouse gases, making it a source of clean electricity. It’s cost could potentially comparable to other energy pathways such as natural gas and solar.

As a domestic source of energy, nuclear could be resilient to shocks in the global market.

Globally, nuclear power plants have been in operation since the 1950s and supplies 10 per cent of the world’s electricity needs today. Currently, there are more than 400 operational nuclear power plants, with several new projects ongoing across Asia, Europe, America and Africa.

Advances in nuclear technology in the past decade, particularly in the area of small modular reactors (SMRs), have made atomic energy a more feasible option. SMRs are a fraction of the size of a conventional nuclear reactor, can be prefabricated for easier transport and installation, and are safer. 

Many such models of reactors have been moving from concept to implementation in recent years, the background paper observed.

For Singapore, any decision to deploy nuclear energy will consider its safety, reliability, affordability, and environmental sustainability within the country’s context, the paper stated.  

“We will continue our efforts to build up domestic capabilities, supported by international partners,” it noted. “We will engage the public regularly on the latest developments in nuclear energy, to build an informed understanding of the benefits and risks surrounding nuclear energy.”

AGREEMENTS WITH US ORGANISATIONS ON NUCLEAR

To strengthen Singapore’s expertise in the subject, the EMA will be signing new cooperation agreements with two United States’ organisations, the Idaho National Laboratory and Battelle Memorial Institute at SIEW, Dr Tan announced during his speech. 

Idaho National Laboratory, the US’ nuclear energy laboratory for advanced nuclear energy, runs initiatives that help the global nuclear community commercialise innovations such as advanced fuels and reactors.

Battelle Memorial Institute is an independent, non-profit applied science and technology organisation that applies advanced science, technology and engineering towards complex challenges, including in the field of nuclear energy. 

These cooperation agreements come on the back of other agreements signed between Singapore the and US in recent years. 

In July last year, Singapore and the US inked a civil nuclear cooperation agreement known as the “123 Agreement”, which would facilitate Singapore’s access to information and technological expertise. In January this year, both countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation.