'Low risk to public': Experts weigh in as Singapore undertakes nuclear energy assessment

Nuclear power plants pose low risks to the public and could strengthen Singapore's baseload energy supply as the country steps up efforts to seriously study the potential deployment of this energy source, experts said.

This comes as Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Tuesday (May 19) that Singapore would be evaluating its ability to potentially deploy nuclear energy through an assessment by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2027, in a bid to strengthen energy resilience amid increasing external shocks.

While no decision to pursue nuclear energy has yet been made, experts that AsiaOne spoke to welcomed the move, and said that developing nuclear energy can strengthen Singapore's long-term energy security while posing low risks to public safety.

'Low risk to the public'

While some may have concerns about radiation risks associated with advanced nuclear energy technologies, experts we spoke to say developments in the field — particularly in small modular reactors (SMRs) — have significantly improved safety features, allowing systems to operate without human intervention or external power.

SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors that are a fraction of the size of a conventional nuclear power reactor, and are more suitable for areas with insufficient space for larger nuclear power plants.

Laurence Williams, chairman of the National Environment Agency's Nuclear Safety Advisory Panel, told AsiaOne that nuclear power plants "present a very, very, low risk to the public" if properly designed, constructed, commissioned, operated and effectively regulated. 

"For any nuclear power plant deployed in Singapore, it will need to be shown that is meets best international practice to ensure that the probability of loss of reactor control, or failure of the ability to cool the nuclear fuel is very, very, low and that there is sufficient defence in depth to provide effective mitigation of consequences of these faults," he said.

Emergency response infrastructure 'critical'

Speaking to AsiaOne, Alvin Chew, Senior Fellow at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said that emergency planning is "critical" despite the layers of protection built into nuclear power plants.

"The safety of the general population is of primal concern and therefore, it is crucial to educate the public on emergency planning, so as to build up public confidence and instil trust in institutions when Singapore deploys nuclear energy," he added.

Williams, who is a professor in nuclear policy and regulation at Bangor University, also referenced the Heysham nuclear power station, which was deployed only 11.2 km from the centre of the City of Lancaster.

The power plant has a detailed emergency planning zone — approximately a 1.5km radius from the site — with detailed arrangements for the protection of the population that live and work in the area, including sheltering, evacuation and the issue of potassium iodate tablets.

Singapore would thus have to develop a similar nuclear emergency plan if it were to move forward with nuclear deployment, he said.

Building Singapore's energy resilience

Safety considerations aside, industry experts told AsiaOne that nuclear deployment in Singapore will help to bolster local energy supplies and even potentially stabilise electricity prices.

Low Xin Wei, chief executive officer at the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute (SNRSI) said that nuclear energy is worth exploring as it is "highly energy-dense, and has a relatively compact footprint compared to other low-carbon options".

Renewables like solar require a large surface area, and maximum deployment will only meet less than 10 per cent of Singapore's electricity demand to land constraints, he said.

On the other hand, SMRs are more compact, making them more suitable for densely populated environments like Singapore. 

Low said: "Nuclear power can provide reliable, constant electricity, regardless of weather or time of day. In that sense, it can help provide a stable baseload of power, while solar contributes additional low-carbon electricity when conditions allow."

RSIS's Chew also said that nuclear deployment will create an indigenous supply of electricity and reduce Singapore's dependence on imported energy resources.

Nuclear reactors can operate for a long time before refuelling, and their long life spans of up to 60 years can lead to more stable electricity prices, he added.

"Given that nuclear fuel prices are inelastic and the cost of operation being a relatively small portion, the overall cost of a nuclear power plant will be amortised over a longer period of time, leading to lower prices of electricity generated in the long-term," he pointed out.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com