Singapore could be ‘most perfect example’ of a country that needs nuclear energy: IAEA chief

SINGAPORE: Singapore could be the “most perfect example” of a country that needs nuclear energy given its territorial limitations, energy requirements, technological base and institutional maturity, said the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi on Friday (Jul 25). The chief of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog was in Singapore as part of the SR Nathan Fellowship, a high-level programme for foreign leaders and prominent individuals to visit the country. The country on Friday also renewed its agreement with the IAEA to help train experts from developing countries in nuclear research. Speaking during a lecture and question-and-answer session hosted by the newly launched Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute at the National University of Singapore, Mr Grossi said that Singapore is prepared to host nuclear power “relatively soon”. The Singapore government is looking at alternatives to gas, and nuclear energy stands out as one, he added, noting that Singapore has limitations when it comes to producing renewable energy. The country cannot produce hydropower and lacks the territory to produce enough wind or solar energy to meet its energy needs, he said. “In my opinion, and in the opinion of many experts, in terms of the options, perhaps Singapore could rightly figure as the most perfect example of a country that needs nuclear energy, because with a very small nuclear power plant, you can have a level of energy density and production that you cannot match with anything else,” he said. Mr Grossi’s impression is that Singapore will see its first nuclear power plant “within a few years”. This may be a cooperative effort with the rest of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he said. All the ASEAN countries are also looking into nuclear energy, though they are all looking into it in different ways since they have different systems and economies, he noted. “All of them are saying, we want nuclear energy. How can we get it?” he said. “And of course, Singapore with its technological base, with its institutional maturity, is ideally, I would say, prepared to host nuclear power relatively soon.” Mr Grossi highlighted one scenario where Singapore could collaborate with a neighbouring country on a nuclear power project. “We have traditional, big nuclear power plants. Is this a good fit for Singapore? Perhaps Singapore in combination or in cooperation with another country in ASEAN, it’s not impossible,” said Mr Grossi. Raising the example of the Krsko power plant in Slovenia that supplies energy to both Slovenia and Croatia, Mr Grossi noted that citizens from both countries work at the plant. “It’s a beautiful example of confidence building, good neighbourhood and intelligence applied to energy,” he said. Singapore and a few other neighbouring nations have made it clear that no decision has been made on whether to adopt nuclear energy, but the idea is being studied alongside other possible sustainable energy options. There are no nuclear-powered nations in ASEAN yet.