The government has no plans to stockpile uranium yet, as no developed nuclear technology is currently assessed to be safe enough for Singapore's size or viable for commercial use.

Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng reiterated the government's position on nuclear energy on Apr. 3, 2024, in response to a question posed by Member of Parliament (MP) Gerald Giam.

Giam asked whether Singapore has plans to stockpile uranium to secure energy sources ahead of other countries shifting towards nuclear energy and what preparations are being made to prepare a core of local talent in that industry.

In response, Tan said that any deployment decision will require detailed studies of the safety, reliability, affordability and sustainability of nuclear energy in Singapore.

While Singapore has no plans to stockpile uranium, Tan explained that the government is steadily building capabilities to better understand and assess global developments in advanced nuclear energy technologies.

Singapore is researching nuclear technology

Seeking clarification, Giam asked how many scientists are currently at the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative and how many scholarships are awarded yearly.

He also asked if the government is building up the regulatory policy frameworks needed to oversee potential nuclear energy programmes for nuclear fission and nuclear fusion and if there is a timeline for the government to take a position.

Tan shared that the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative has awarded 30 scholarships for postgraduate studies in areas related to nuclear science and engineering in the last ten years.

Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative has developed a pipeline of 40 researchers specialising in radiobiology, radiochemistry, and nuclear safety.

Nuclear fusion "at least a decade away"

Tan said,

"We continue to keep our options open to all kinds of low carbon energy, including, of course, nuclear energy, both fission and fusion."

On nuclear fusion, Tan explained that for currently available technologies, the net energy input needed to create a nuclear fusion reaction far exceeds the energy output that could be harnessed.

Tan said that while "promising" technology is being developed in the US, the project has not come to fruition and is probably at least a decade away from being put to use.

On conventional nuclear fission technology, Tan explained that older generation reactors are not feasible for Singapore as the safety buffer zone is beyond even the radius of Singapore to "even talk about".

While smaller "modular" reactor technologies exist, Tan said they have not been commercialised yet, and the safety profiles need to be understood fully before the government can make a decision.

Not able to commit to a particular timeline

Giam then asked when the government would take a position on whether to use nuclear energy in the future as he felt it's important to provide some or more "certainty" to scientists and the people of Singapore.

Tan agreed that it is important but pointed out that Giam presupposed that the government decided on nuclear energy when he previously stated that the government had not made the decision.

However, Tan said that while monitoring the nuclear energy technological space closely, the government also recognises the importance of developing capabilities to use nuclear technology in the meantime.

Tan said the government has not stopped training local talent by sending them overseas to learn, and bringing them back whenever they have finally made the decision.

"I think this is as far as we can tell you, we will not be able to commit to a particular timeline."

He also pointed out that nuclear energy is not the only technology the government is considering for Singapore's energy security, stating that various projects are underway to explore alternative energy sources such as geothermal energy and ammonia.

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Top photos via MCI/YouTube & Lukáš Lehotský on Unsplash