Too risky or just right? Experts split on nuclear power for Singapore

SINGAPORE: As Singapore races to decarbonise its economy and meet rising energy demands and climate change, the debate over nuclear power has taken on renewed relevance. Past discussions have largely dismissed the idea due to safety and geographic concerns; new nuclear technologies — such as small modular reactors (SMRs) and thorium molten salt designs — have not just reopened the conversation but enabled a new vision for our evolving energy needs.

These next-generation nuclear systems are promoted as safer, more compact, and cleaner than traditional reactors. Some advocates have suggested that Singapore could one day deploy them offshore or in partnership with regional neighbours.

A physicist’s message

Dr Syed Alwi Ahmad, a theoretical physicist and member of the RDU Central Executive Committee, remains firmly sceptical. He argues that nuclear energy, regardless of form, is a poor fit for Singapore’s physical and structural realities.

“Our limited land, the impossibility of effective evacuation, and lack of geological capacity to store nuclear waste — they represent physical boundaries that must be observed with scientific discipline,” he says.

He added that “there is no outside zone, no rural province, no extended hinterland to fall back on. All risks remain localised.”

While thorium molten salt reactors are seen as promising alternatives, Dr Ahmad points out that the most advanced prototype, located in China’s Gobi Desert, only produces two megawatts of thermal energy. “To be clear, Singapore currently consumes more than fifty-five terawatt-hours of electricity per year, and that is projected to rise significantly by 2035,” he said.

He is also wary of proposals to site such reactors offshore. Operating nuclear systems in marine environments introduces further complexity: corrosion from saltwater, vulnerability to severe weather, fuel transport and waste disposal issues — all magnified in Singapore’s heavily trafficked coastal areas.

Even the waste from thorium reactors, though smaller in volume, must be stored securely for centuries.

He also notes the economic challenge. Developing small-scale, experimental nuclear platforms would require massive investment, a regulatory system overhaul, and centuries-long commitment, all for a technology not yet proven at scale. In contrast, renewables like solar and regional grid integration are already showing real returns.

IAEA sees nuclear as a natural fit

Yet others believe Singapore could — and potentially should — embrace nuclear technology in the near future. Rafael Grossi, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), recently told an audience at the National University of Singapore that nuclear energy could be a vital solution for the city-state’s clean energy future.

“In my opinion,” he said, “Singapore could rightly be the most perfect example of a country that needs nuclear energy.” Given the lack of hydropower, limited land for wind and solar farms, and rising energy demand, Grossi believes a compact nuclear plant could offer a level of energy density “you cannot match with anything else.”

He highlighted the potential of small modular reactors — creating an ecosystem designed with passive safety features, lower risk profiles, and smaller footprints. Although still largely in the research and pilot stage globally, Grossi believes SMRs will be commercially viable within a few years.

The core of the nuclear conversation in Singapore is not just about apprehension but about weighing the risks, benefits, and trade-offs of alternative pathways as voiced by a range of commentators with different stakes in the energy race.

Grossi then floated the idea of regional collaboration, “Singapore could develop a plant in collaboration with another ASEAN country,” he suggested, pointing to a future where shared infrastructure might ease national constraints.

Dr Ahmad also believes the path forward lies in accelerating Singapore’s renewable energy investments, expanding regional grid partnerships with countries like Indonesia, which is pursuing its own nuclear ambitions, and scalable technologies that don’t come with radioactive waste or existential safety concerns.

The IAEA, meanwhile, argues that Singapore’s spatial limitations and advanced technologies are precisely why nuclear power might be its best option — a clean, dense, reliable energy source that requires little land and could ensure long-term stability in a nation attempting to “go green”.