Nuclear Power Returns to Southeast Asia’s Energy Agenda

Vietnam and Indonesia Advance Concrete Nuclear Timelines

Vietnam is moving forward with plans to bring its two Ninh Thuan plants into operation by 2035, alongside plans to pursue at least one small modular reactor project, according to the article. South Korea’s KEPCO and Vietnam’s state-owned Petrovietnam forged a pact on September 8 to strengthen collaboration regarding the upcoming Ninh Thuan 2 initiative. Meanwhile, Indonesia has outlined an initial target of 500 megawatts of nuclear capacity, with units scheduled to begin operating in 2032. The Philippines is similarly working toward its first 1,200 megawatts of nuclear capacity by the same year, while Thailand’s latest draft power plan proposes its first small modular reactor by 2037.

Singapore Studies Small Modular Reactors Amid Grid Constraints

Singaporean officials are examining the viability of nuclear technology with an open mind, though the government has not made a definitive deployment decision, according to state policy announcements. Regional electricity generation in Southeast Asia has climbed by roughly 60% since 2015, with coal responsible for the lion’s share of this growth and driving its portion of local production from 37% to 47%, as reported by the International Energy Agency (IEA). Speaking to Deutsche Welle, Jie-Sheng Tan-Soo—an assistant professor and director at Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy—pointed out that these smaller-scale reactor layouts make nuclear energy suitable for modest grids by permitting staged investments instead of the massive initial capital required for traditional facilities.

Energy Security Shifts Following the Post-Fukushima Cautious Era

This renewed regional interest marks a sharp reversal from the decade of caution that followed Japan’s Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, which stalled atomic energy plans across Southeast Asia, according to Alvin Chew. However, recent geopolitical disruptions, including the war in Ukraine and the Middle East conflict, have heightened energy security concerns for developing nations. These pressures persist even as most Southeast Asian governments maintain official commitments to achieve net-zero carbon emissions between 2050 and 2060. With regional electricity demand forecast to grow by an average of 5.3% annually between 2026 and 2030, analysts indicate that governments increasingly view nuclear technology as a necessary tool to balance grid stability and climate targets.