Southeast Asia is entering a new phase of its energy transition. Nuclear power, once a distant idea for the region, is now a serious option for several ASEAN governments. This shift makes public awareness, cross-border safety literacy, and regional cooperation far more urgent. Singapore, despite not having made a decision on its own nuclear deployment, recognises this shift. Its government has now placed nuclear education at the centre of future energy preparedness.
Why Singapore says nuclear literacy matters
Speaking in Parliament on November 6, Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology, Tan See Leng, stressed a simple but crucial point. “There is a need to build up Singaporeans’ knowledge and understanding on nuclear energy, even if the government eventually decides not to deploy this form of clean energy.” He noted that many ASEAN neighbours may still choose nuclear power. This, he said, means Singaporeans must understand risks, safeguards, and regional realities.
Dr Tan was responding to MP Poh Li San, who raised concerns about the public’s perception of safety and health implications. He affirmed that the government will share the most updated information on safety issues regarding advanced nuclear technologies to socialise our larger population.
His central message was clear. “Even if we eventually decide that we will not go down the pathway of deploying (advanced nuclear energy) on our shores, it does not preclude our neighbouring countries from deploying on their shores.”
He added that education must help citizens understand “what are the safety considerations, the safety measures that we should be undertaking.”
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ASEAN’s rapid nuclear shift
Interest in nuclear power across ASEAN is accelerating. Vietnam plans its first plants between 2031 and 2035. The Philippines aims for 1,200 MW by 2032, rising to 4,800 MW by 2050. Malaysia targets nuclear power in its energy mix by 2031, while Indonesia plans a 500 MW plant by 2032, with a 10 GW goal by 2040.
Such timelines show that nuclear energy will soon be operating in Singapore’s neighbourhood, regardless of Singapore’s own choice.
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Singapore’s preparations continue
Singapore has made no deployment decision yet; it continues to study small modular reactors, which require less land. It has set up nuclear teams within Energy Market Authority (EMA) and National Environment Agency (NEA), partnered US institutions, and appointed Mott MacDonald to assess feasibility. The government’s focus on education, however, reflects a wider shift: nuclear power is no longer hypothetical for Southeast Asia, and preparedness begins with public understanding.
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