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SINGAPORE: A feasibility study by a multi-agency group of whether nuclear energy can be a long-term option for Singapore, will be commencing later this year.
The effort will be led by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, announced its Senior Minister of State S Iswaran on Monday, and it will aim to "ensure that we fully understand, and objectively evaluate from all perspectives, the opportunities, challenges and risks involved with nuclear energy".
Public concerns have been surfaced about the risks considering Singapore's size and population density.
"Indeed, these were some of the reasons for not considering the option before," acknowledged Mr Iswaran.
"But new technologies are being developed to address some of the key concerns associated with nuclear energy, and to make nuclear reactors smaller and safer, at a lower cost and with less high-level waste.
"Some of these technologies are in the early stages of commercialisation and we need to study if they could be feasible in our context."
Mr Iswaran made several arguments for mulling the nuclear option. It could "potentially enhance energy security, reduce carbon emissions, and mitigate the impact of volatile oil and gas prices".
Then, there are small states like Switzerland and island-nations like Japan that have made great strides in nuclear energy in the last four decades.
There is also "merit in building up our knowledge and expertise in nuclear science which has applications in diagnostic medicine and cancer treatment" - it could yield therapeutic and economic benefits, he added.
- TODAY/sc
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