KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia could introduce nuclear power in the next 10 years if the government approves it, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said.
The Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA) minister said that nuclear power was recognised at the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Energy Ministers’ Meeting as a viable option for clean and reliable energy.
“In terms of safety, many nuclear plants have advanced significantly from the second to the third generation — whether in technology, safety, environmental standards or global acceptance.
“Several Asian countries, including Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, have already agreed to assess nuclear power as part of their future energy mix,” he said at PETRA’s Media Night here today.
Also present were PETRA Deputy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, PETRA deputy secretary-general (Water) Datuk Mohd Rodzwan Baba Sakri, Media Prima Bhd deputy group managing editor and New Straits Times group editor Farrah Naz Karim, and Berita Harian group editor Zulkifli Jalil.
Fadillah said nuclear power is being studied to strengthen Malaysia’s long-term energy security and support power-intensive industries such as artificial intelligence (AI) and data centres.
“MyPower has been appointed to manage legislation, public engagement and ensure we have the right technology and skilled manpower. Studies have been completed and submitted to the government, with international collaboration. If approved, implementation will take between 10 and 15 years,” he said.
Fadillah also stressed the need to upgrade the national grid, citing the instability caused by intermittent renewable sources such as solar.
“When there is intense sunlight, energy production spikes and our grid becomes unstable. This has happened in Spain and Vietnam, where blackouts occurred.
“That is why the government is studying ways to strengthen the grid and move towards a smart grid that is more efficient in storing, using and monitoring energy,” he said.
Media representatives also took part in a lucky draw, walking away with electrical appliances for correctly answering PETRA-themed questions.
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