(May 19): The United Nations’ atomic watchdog will assess Singapore’s ability to make an “informed decision” on the potential deployment of advanced nuclear energy technologies in the future, a government agency said on Tuesday.
The city-state will undergo the review by the International Atomic Energy Agency starting in 2027, according to a statement by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. The country will be assessed on areas including its ability to manage nuclear safety, radioactive waste and emergency planning, the ministry added.
The move comes as countries around the world look to atomic power to reach emission targets and fuel power-hungry industries such as artificial intelligence. In Southeast Asia, nations including Thailand, Vietnam and Philippines are seeking to embrace the low-carbon energy source.
While Singapore has been “progressively building capabilities” in nuclear technology, it has not yet made a decision on adopting or deploying the energy form, the ministry said. The city-state’s small size and dense population means it has “no margin for error” in using nuclear energy, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said at an industry event on Tuesday, the Straits Times reported.
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