SINGAPORE: Singapore has said it will study the possible deployment of nuclear power, given recent advancements in small modular reactors (SMRs) that offer new safety features and require less space. Interest in SMRs is rising among governments and energy companies in the rest of the region too.

Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand have all expressed interest in SMRs – both floating and land-based. In Indonesia, the first application for hosting a floating SMR, a demonstration project to be located near an island in Central Bangka close to South Sumatra, was submitted in February after about two years of pre-licensing consultations.

Russia has been operating a commercial floating nuclear power plant with two SMRs, the Akademik Lomonosov, in Arctic waters since 2020. China started up a land-based SMR in Shandong province in 2023, with another expected in Hainan by 2026.

Other countries, including the United States, Argentina, Canada and South Korea, are actively developing SMRs, with companies like Core Power, Kepco E&S, NuScale, Seaborg Technologies, Thorcon, Westinghouse and others leading efforts in floating designs.

Tech companies are also racing to secure nuclear energy. In October 2024, Google inked a deal to buy electricity from at least six SMRs to power its data centres. Oracle is designing a data centre to be powered by three SMRs. Many energy-intensive industries, including mining and chemicals, are also interested in such options.

Unlike conventional nuclear plants that often generate over 1 gigawatt (GW) of electricity, SMRs typically produce up to 300 megawatts but have shorter construction times, lower upfront costs, enhanced safety features and smaller safety...