Malaysia is readying itself for the likely use of nuclear energy after 2035 as it struggles to meet renewable energy and net-zero carbon emission targets.

The Straits Times has learnt that Malaysia’s Cabinet, after discussing in late November a nuclear road map proposed by the National Energy Council (MTN), decided that nuclear is “one of the options of electrical power generation” post-2035.

The paper by the MTN – chaired by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim with several other ministers as members – was prepared after the Cabinet requested it in April 2024.

“The PM himself has been wanting to expedite the process,” a top government official told ST, adding that regulatory milestones set by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will take around a decade to complete.

A few ministers had in early November revealed that Malaysia was considering the possible use of nuclear energy.

Since then, several sources have confirmed to ST that MyPOWER, an agency under the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (Petra) tasked with organising reforms for the power sector, has been earmarked to be Malaysia’s nuclear energy programme implementation organisation (Nepio).

The Nepio is responsible for coordinating the work needed to eventually commission nuclear power plants under the IAEA framework.

But one official said that despite preliminary discussions already being held with other countries to expedite Malaysia’s nuclear power implementation, the matter needs to be handled with caution as “domestic political sensitivities and geopolitical considerations” are involved.

Although Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Fadillah Yusof did not specify when the decision was made, he told ST that using “nuclear power in our future electricity generation” takes into consideration Malaysia’s commitment to the United Nations’ Paris Agreement on Climate Change as well as the increasing demand to ensure reliable electricity supply and sustainable economic growth.

“The firm deployment date of nuclear energy in our power system will hinge on the outcome of the ongoing feasibility studies, which takes into account the various economic, technical as well as social aspects of nuclear development,” said Datuk Seri Fadillah on Dec 19.

He said MyPOWER is “in the forerunning to assume this important role” as the Nepio, and the agency has been tasked to undertake the feasibility study for nuclear deployment.

Under the Paris accord, Malaysia is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as well as a 45 per cent reduction in carbon intensity as compared with 2005 levels by 2035.

Given these aims, Malaysia may have no choice but to make nuclear an essential part of the energy mix.

“This ambitious goal requires extensive measures to decarbonise the electricity sector while ensuring reliability and affordability. Nuclear energy offers a clean, reliable alternative to meet growing energy demands,” Mr Fadillah said.

A surge in demand for electricity, in large part driven by the ongoing boom in resource-intensive data centres, could otherwise test the government’s commitment to decommission high-carbon-emitting coal power plants and reduce dependency on gas. National power company Tenaga has received applications for supply from data centres exceeding 11 gigawatts, or more than 40 per cent of Peninsular Malaysia’s existing installed capacity.

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/m...ower-after-2035

Please build one near my home in PJ.

Please built them somewhere near Kelantan , Terengganu area coz alot of water...

Bersangka baek : never sked of no water for reactor cooling...

We already have a small one in Bangi since decades ago. Calm your tits ladies...

Later which state most likely become Chernobyl 2 ?

i believe old information had its initial proposal somewhere on east coast partly due to population density and of course water cooling

it's for research only

Please build at putrajaya. Next to PM office..if not next to jkkp pun boleh.

Inkambing puak puak protes

Mat Homer rubbing his hands........ owai

Still a reactor. People concern about safety. Rightly so. But we already have the experience since 1982. Should be build beside water source @ sea.

That one is for research, not sure if they do research on power generation, but from what I've heard it's usually nuclear medicine research.

Malaysia is ready

kinda like cook at home for family vs cook at home to sell online, scale is different. On paper we can put every safety measure, but you know I know contractor and inspection qc, also maintainance. Even France, German, Japan all have this issue

Cant rely on coal forever

true. Whether I like it or not, not my power to go/stop it anyway.

Aiya, gune thorium reactor la

If can nuclear fusion breh better

🤤

Nuclear reactor + Malaysian incompetence/tak apa attitude = chernobyl 2.0

If cannot meet renewable energy target why not open up more NEM? Seems to always quickly filled up. Or TnB cannot afford to have too much home owned renewables or cannot make profit? Then it could be a policy issue instead which TnB as a key energy player needs to plan out properly how to meet that target.

Also in Melaka, Padang terap. But those are small scales one for sterility purposes.

This one, I hope they build near Parliament or PM house. That is the only way to ensure safety and good maintenance…🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭