Southeast Asia Explores Nuclear as Clean Energy Source

Nicole Yap

3 September 2024

2.8 MINS

While Labor continues with its firm aversion to nuclear power, Australia’s neighbours in Southeast Asia are exploring it as an alternative source to reach their clean energy goals.

On July 31, Singapore signed a deal with the United States to foster civil nuclear cooperation in pursuit of energy security and the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The deal, known as a 123 Agreement because such deals are based on Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954, provides a legal framework for nuclear collaboration between countries in accordance with non-proliferation requirements.

Section 123 of the U.S. Atomic Energy Act of 1954 requires that the U.S. reach a peaceful agreement before formalising nuclear cooperation with other states – the pact allows the transfer of nuclear material and equipment from the U.S., as well as bilateral collaboration in other areas including technology, education and research.

Signed in Singapore by U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, the pact will come into force by the end of 2024 and will last for 30 years.

The 123 Agreement emphasises a mutual commitment to nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation, adhering to standards by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). It ensures that the information and equipment shared through the partnership will only be used for “peaceful purposes”, according to the joint statement on the agreement.

Opportunity

While Singapore maintains that no decision has been made on the deployment of nuclear power in the country, the agreement will give Singapore the opportunity to assess the affordability, sustainability and reliability of the nuclear energy option.

The city-state will also join America’s Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program, to study how advanced and emerging nuclear energy technologies “can potentially support climate goals while balancing critical energy needs”. Through FIRST, the U.S. can support Singapore’s capacity-building by providing access to networks in the civil nuclear sector.

In a region dependent on coal and gas, Singapore is exploring all options for decarbonisation in the lead-up to 2050 and its 2035 goal to reduce reliance on natural gas to 50 per cent. Currently, almost 95 per cent of Singapore’s electricity is generated by natural gas.

Alvin Chew – a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore – welcomed the agreement, noting Singapore’s reliance on imported resources and the commitment to non-proliferation.

“Nuclear energy is a solution for deep decarbonisation of economy, as well as a viable solution for energy security given that more than 95 per cent of its current resources to generate electricity are imported,” Mr Chew said.

“Also, Singapore has no aspiration in non-peaceful application of nuclear energy. In fact, the 123 Agreement will help to narrow down the technologies and areas whereby Singapore can focus on when building up its capability.”

Global Developments

The U.S. currently has 24 active 123 Agreements with 48 countries, including other Southeast Asian states such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

The agreement with the Philippines came into effect on July 2 as the island-nation works towards clean energy investment and security. Indonesia and Thailand also aim to add nuclear power to their energy mix as they target net-zero emissions by 2060 and 2065, respectively.

Australia entered into the same agreement with the U.S. in 2010 and has 24 other bilateral agreements on nuclear exports and cooperation for peaceful purposes.

However, Australia has had a legislative ban on nuclear power since 1998, thanks to a Greens amendment in the Senate.

Labor has also shown strong opposition to nuclear energy and dismissed plans by the Coalition to explore it – despite the abundance of uranium in the country and the fact that nuclear technology, particularly small modular reactors, offers an alternative method to achieve the “net-zero by 2050” dream that Labor holds so dear.

One cannot forget Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s lampoon in March: “Nuclear power is a lot like the Liberal Party. No help to anyone today, completely wrong for Australia’s future, and notorious for waste that takes forever to clean up.”

Meanwhile, Labor has left no other stone unturned to meet its renewable energy targets, with its ambitions to discontinue fossil-fuel generators and develop project after project for wind and solar.

It sounds like Australia’s Southeast Asian neighbours, who see value simply in the exploration of alternative sources, might just find themselves ahead of the net-zero race.

___

Republished with thanks to News Weekly. Image courtesy of Adobe.

About the Author: Nicole Yap

Australia / Environment / NEWS / Politics / World

We need your help. The continued existence of the Daily Declaration depends on the generosity of readers like you. Donate now. The Daily Declaration is committed to keeping our site free of advertising so we can stay independent and continue to stand for the truth.

Fake news and censorship make the work of the Canberra Declaration and our Christian news site the Daily Declaration more important than ever. Take a stand for family, faith, freedom, life, and truth. Support us as we shine a light in the darkness. Donate now.

DONATE

2 Comments

Christine Crawford 3 September 2024 at 9:53 am - Reply

I’m sure I saw a bloke that that looked like Albo struggling to get into a submarine the other night. Aren’t those subs full of nuclear stuff? You know, that poisonous stuff used by countries around the world to provide 24/7 clean energy to their countries.
Kim Howe 3 September 2024 at 9:55 am - Reply

It is always amazing to me that the dirtiest form of power generation (Nuclear) is now being called “clean energy”. Harmless carbon dioxide is essential for life and makes plants grow. High level nuclear waste – which every type of reactor produces – is possibly the most dangerous and toxic substance known to man – and it remains dangerous for thousands of years.

The safe disposal of high level waste is always glossed over. Usually there is a bait and switch to low level waste, which while problematical is at least possible to deal with. There are cooling pools next to reactors all over the world with used nuclear fuel that has been sitting for decades waiting to go to a permanent safe storage place. No such place exists. All that has been done is to “kick the can down the road” and hope the next generation(s) find a way to deal with it. It’s the opposite of good stewardship. We are talking about storing stuff for tens of thousands of years – and I believe the world is only six thousand years old!

Let’s call out the lies of the climate alarmism movement, rather than falling for a toxic and dangerous solution to a non-existant problem.