Nuclear Energy in Southeast Asia: A New Era?

Nuclear energy development in Southeast Asia is back in the spotlight. Vietnam has recently unveiled a nuclear power development plan, with the goal of getting its first reactor online in the next decade. This aligns with the country’s efforts to strengthen energy security and drive economic growth. The government is working on establishing a regulatory framework, developing the necessary human resources, and building research infrastructure for nuclear energy by 2030. The revised Vietnam Power Development Plan VIII (PDP8) suggests having at least one operational nuclear plant between 2031 and 2035. Vietnam is already in talks with foreign partners for its first two nuclear plants, targeting a combined capacity of 4 GW by 2031.

Interest in nuclear energy in Southeast Asia isn’t new. However, after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, nuclear projects were put on hold due to safety concerns and public resistance. Today, rising energy demands, climate goals, and sustainability efforts are prompting the region to reconsider nuclear power. The increasing focus on AI since the launch of ChatGPT in 2022 has further highlighted the need for reliable power to support energy-intensive infrastructure such as data centers. By the end of 2023, Vietnam had added approximately eight new data centers, while Malaysia and Indonesia each brought around 15 online over the past two years. Although renewable sources like solar and wind are part of the energy mix, their intermittency makes them unreliable for critical infrastructure. As a result, nuclear energy could provide the stable, high-capacity power needed to meet these demands. Companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft have already started exploring nuclear energy in the US to support their enormous power needs.

Promising New Nuclear Technologies

Safety remains a key concern in nuclear energy discussions, but technology has evolved and improved over the years. Two promising innovations are addressing these issues: small modular reactors (SMRs) and thorium-based fuels. SMRs are more compact, safer, and efficient than conventional reactors, utilizing passive cooling systems that operate without external power, minimizing the risk of overheating. Their smaller size simplifies containment during emergencies, while their factory-built design enables more controlled and efficient deployment than traditional nuclear plants.

Thorium, a naturally occurring radioactive element, offers several advantages over uranium as a nuclear fuel. Unlike uranium-235, which is more prone to dangerous chain reactions, thorium produces uranium-233, which is less likely to trigger such reactions. Thorium is more plentiful than uranium, providing a more sustainable fuel source while producing less long-lived nuclear waste, making it a cleaner and safer choice for future energy generation.

Nuclear Energy Developments Across Southeast Asia: A Growing Trend

Indonesia is pushing forward with its nuclear plans as part of a broader strategy to increase its electricity supply by 100 GW over the next 15 years, with 75 percent sourced from renewables and 5 percent allocated to nuclear power. Countries such as South Korea, Russia, France, and China have shown interest in collaborating with Indonesia on nuclear power development. Thorcon, a company focused on molten salt reactor technology, plans to construct its first reactor, starting with a 500 MW plant in phase one, followed by six additional 500 MW plants in phase two to expand the project.

In the Philippines, the government is revisiting its nuclear energy plans. The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, completed in the 1980s but never operational, remains a symbol of the country's nuclear aspirations. The government is now exploring the possibility of using SMRs in collaboration with organizations like NuScale Power to achieve its nuclear goals.

Thailand is also considering nuclear energy as part of its future energy mix. According to the country's draft power development plan, Thailand plans to introduce 600 MW of power from SMRs to support its electricity generation capacity from 2024 to 2037.

At the 2025 World Economic Forum, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar stated that the country does not currently have an urgent need for nuclear power, emphasizing the potential of solar energy and the ASEAN Power Grid (APG). However, he acknowledged the possibility of exploring nuclear energy, especially in light of increasing power demands from large-scale data centers under development.

In Singapore, while fully committing to nuclear energy may be premature, closely monitoring advancements in the field remains essential as the region continues to explore sustainable energy solutions.

Managing Risks in View of Nature's Uncertainty: The Challenge of Nuclear Energy Development

In Southeast Asia, while technologies like safer SMR designs and thorium reactors offer promise, the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters cannot be ignored. Earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions are constant threats, making safety a critical concern in nuclear energy development. Indonesia’s nuclear ambitions, significant as they are, raise particular concerns due to the country’s location along the "Ring of Fire," an area prone to seismic activity. Despite the safety enhancements in modern SMR designs, technology alone cannot eliminate the risks posed by nature.

For nuclear energy in Southeast Asia to progress, technological innovation must go hand in hand with careful consideration of the region’s environmental challenges.