Singapore's Study into Feasibility of Nuclear Energy to Meet our Energy Needs

Ms Poh Li San asked the Minister for Trade and Industry since the Government’s pre-feasibility study on nuclear technologies in 2012, what are the technological improvements made in this area that now render the technologies potentially fit and safe for deployment, especially given the high population density in Singapore.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what are the prospects of next-generation technologies being used to tap on geothermal energy and nuclear energy for Singapore’s future energy supply mix; and (b) what are the challenges that need to be overcomed.

Mr Speaker, the report released by the Energy 2050 Committee last month sets out several possible pathways for Singapore’s power sector to achieve net-zero by or around 2050, as well as the transformational changes needed to achieve this, and the challenges arising from geopolitical trends and technological advancements. One of these pathways contemplates an energy future where we successfully deploy large-scale low-carbon technologies at lower cost for energy generation. These new technologies may include hydrogen, geothermal energy and nuclear energy. Let me explain how we view these sources of energy and specifically focus on geothermal energy and nuclear energy.

First, geothermal energy. Geothermal energy is an attractive energy source as it, potentially, provides a more consistent supply of energy compared to solar, which is intermittent due to Singapore’s weather and cloud cover. Conventional geothermal systems are also not viable here in Singapore due to the lack of adequate hot water and steam resources at shallow depths. However, due to recent advances in geothermal technology, we could possibly harness geothermal heat from deep underground. The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is conducting exploratory studies to estimate the geothermal resource potential in various parts of Singapore. If found feasible, geothermal energy could be a new source of indigenous clean energy in Singapore.

Second, nuclear energy. The Government concluded a pre-feasibility study in 2012. The study found that conventional large reactor technologies were not suitable for deployment in Singapore. However, since then, new designs are in the process of being developed that have the potential to be much safer than many of the plants in operation today. These include Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and "Generation IV" nuclear technologies, which incorporate enhanced safety systems that may not be possible for old generation technologies. Some of the SMRs are also designed to cool safely and passively without requiring external systems or operator actions, especially during emergencies.

Besides nuclear fission, which is the current conventional old technology, there have also been significant interest and advances in nuclear fusion development. Unlike fission, nuclear fusion does not cause chain reactions and will not produce long-lived radioactive waste. Hence, nuclear fusion power plants can, at least theoretically, produce clean electricity to meet our energy needs.

However, many of these advanced geothermal and nuclear technologies are still in the research and development phase, and have not begun commercial operations yet. So, we will need to consider any decision to deploy new energy technologies against its safety, reliability, affordability and environmental sustainability in Singapore’s context. These technologies must meet stringent standards of critical infrastructure resilience in line with the international best practices of developed countries which have experience in ensuring the safety of such power plants.

Given the technical complexity of nuclear energy technologies, we will need to continue building our ability to better understand and assess their safety, security and environmental implications before we consider them for deployment in Singapore. The Government, through the Nuclear Safety Research and Education Programme, is supporting research in relevant areas of nuclear policy, science and engineering, as well as efforts to train a pool of scientists and experts in local and overseas universities.

As a responsible member of the international community, Singapore also actively supports international efforts to strengthen the global nuclear safety and security architecture. We work with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other ASEAN member states in the ASEAN Network of Regulatory Bodies on Atomic Energy (ASEANTOM) and this is to help strengthen regional preparedness to respond to a potential nuclear emergency.

Our future energy mix will depend on advancements in low-carbon technologies, as well as through collaborations and trading of low-carbon energy across borders. The Government will carefully study the recommendations in the Committee’s report and calibrate our plans accordingly as technologies evolve. In the meantime, we will continue to enhance energy efficiency across all sectors and encourage consumers to play their part to conserve energy.

Thank you, Speaker. The Fukushima nuclear plant accident in 2011 is still fresh in the memory of many people's mind. And the war in Ukraine has also reminded many of the nuclear plant disaster in Ukraine in 1986. We understand that a nuclear plant is a lot more efficient and it is cleaner. We also know that the Fukushima nuclear plant adhered to many industry standards across the globe but yet they still had the accident.

So, we want to know from the Minister of State what are the areas and assurance they can give to Singaporeans and also our neighbouring countries that, in our quest for nuclear power, we will not have similar incidents like the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster.

Secondly, will our quest for nuclear energy also prompt our neighbouring countries to go for similar technology? If so, how could we work with our neighbouring countries to ensure that such a development is safe and also minimises the impact on the environment?

I thank the hon Member for his questions. The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine were constructed in the late 1960s and early 1980s respectively. These are older nuclear power plants that are designed to rely heavily on active systems, such as electricity, to power their coolant plants and to also keep the plants safe during an accident. I mentioned earlier on the difference between fusion technology as well as fission technology. The older technology is effectively fission technology.

The Government concluded in the pre-feasibility study in 2012 that conventional nuclear technologies primarily using fission technology, such as those deployed in Fukushima and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plants, are not suitable for Singapore.

However, as I mentioned earlier, there are new kinds of nuclear technology, like nuclear fusion technology, that are being developed globally that will have the potential to be much safer than the older designs that the Member had raised earlier. So, we will continue to monitor the progress of these new technologies that are not yet commercially feasible but that are increasingly becoming so, and we will monitor them closely.

With regard to the geopolitical or international community, Singapore is a responsible member of the international community supporting international efforts to strengthen global nuclear safety and security infrastructure. So, we will work closely with IAEA and other ASEAN member states on, what I mentioned earlier, ASEANTOM, to build up our knowledge on nuclear security, safety and also to contribute towards the strengthening of regional preparedness to respond to a nuclear emergency.

As the world continues to transition from fossil fuel-based generation, countries planning to produce nuclear energy must do so with strong safety and security frameworks, and our study will look primarily at that and also look at new technologies in which we can potentially use in our future energy mix.

Thank you, Sir. Sir, it is, indeed, good news that SMR and the new fusion technology can allow us in Singapore to tap on nuclear energy at very low risk and that it is viable. Sir, the EMA report also mentioned that nuclear energy can supply 10% of our total energy by 2050. Can I further ask the Minister of State, if we are, indeed, embarking on or making this significant move to tap on nuclear energy and will have to build the required capabilities and infrastructure, why are we only looking at tapping 10% and not a higher percentage, given the very significant undertaking?

My second question is how soon can we build up these required specialised capabilities, the R&D set-up and the necessary investments, so that we can be among the early adopters?

Sir, the Energy 2050 Committee arrived at 10% based on a certain set of hypothetical scenarios and assumptions. The Government has not yet set any target for the energy mix in Singapore. The choice for determining the optimal energy mix for Singapore should be evaluated against factors that I mentioned earlier, which are affordability, sustainability and energy security.

On why we need to wait until 2050 and whether we can deploy this sooner, as I mentioned earlier, most of the technology is currently in the research and development phase and has not yet been commercially deployed. Besides, even deploying the technology requires a lot of infrastructure around the technology. This requires specialised expertise that will also need to take time to be developed before you can deploy that in earnest. So, you need the necessary regulations and you need human resource support to ensure that when we deploy such infrastructure, that nuclear safety and security are foremost in our consideration.