Why nuclear energy is worth a serious look for Singapore

Our energy challenge

Today about 95% of Singapore’s electricity is produced using imported natural gas. That leaves us exposed to supply disruptions and price swings, and burning gas releases carbon dioxide.^[1][2] (EMA’s detailed statistics put natural gas at 94.0% of the fuel mix in 2024.^[3])

Singapore is aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, but we have few natural options. Solar can supply only around 10% of our electricity needs by 2050 because of limited land.^[1] Electricity imports from the region could supply about one-third of our electricity by 2035, but they are also exposed to weather and supply-chain risks.^[2]

That is why the Government is studying a portfolio of low-carbon options, including nuclear, geothermal and hydrogen.^[2] We support all of them being studied seriously; nuclear is the one we focus on.

What nuclear could offer

Small modular reactors (SMRs), explained

The IAEA describes SMRs as advanced nuclear reactors with a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, about one-third the size of a traditional reactor.^[7]

• Small: physically a fraction of the size of a conventional plant.
• Modular: parts can be built in a factory and shipped for installation, and units can be added step by step as demand grows.
• Passive safety: many designs rely on natural physics, such as gravity and natural circulation, to shut down and cool safely without operators or external power.^[7] Singapore’s Government also notes SMRs’ enhanced safety features.^[2]
• Less frequent refuelling: every 3 to 7 years for many designs, compared with 1 to 2 years for conventional plants.^[7]

Where SMRs are today: Russia’s floating plant Akademik Lomonosov has been in commercial operation since 2020, and more than 80 commercial SMR designs are being developed worldwide. The IAEA also notes that SMRs’ economic competitiveness “is still to be proven in practice”.^[7] In short, SMRs are promising, but still young.

What Singapore is already doing

• 2022: The Energy 2050 Committee recommended that Singapore monitor nuclear fission SMRs and other new technologies and build capabilities in advance, so promising options can be adopted quickly once viable. Its scenarios leave room for geothermal or nuclear to supply around 10% of Singapore’s energy needs.^[8]
• 2024: Singapore and the United States signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement (the “123 Agreement”) on 31 July 2024. It entered into force on 12 December 2024, supporting Singapore’s capability building to understand and evaluate advanced nuclear technologies.^[9][10]
• 2025: The two countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strategic civil nuclear cooperation.^[11]
• 2027: Singapore will start the IAEA’s Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) Phase 1, which checks readiness across 19 areas such as safety, waste and emergency planning. Countries that have completed it include Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.^[2]

None of this is a decision to build a reactor. The Government has said clearly that no decision has been made, and that safety, reliability, affordability and environmental sustainability will guide any future decision.^[1][2]

Honest trade-offs

No energy source is perfect, and we won’t pretend otherwise. Open questions for Singapore include cost (especially for early SMRs), long-term waste management, emergency planning in a dense city, and public confidence. Preparing for nuclear power can also take a long time. The Prime Minister has noted that, based on other countries’ experience, the preparation and infrastructure development can take well over 15 years.^[12][7] That is exactly why we think it’s worth learning about now. Read our FAQ for more.