KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 6): The Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) along with its agency MyPower is undertaking a pre-feasibility study on nuclear energy, said deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

Fadillah, who is also Petra minister, said the pre-feasibility study includes a review of small modular reactor (SMR) technology and is expected to be completed next month.

The study of SMR, which is currently being adopted in developed nations, was required “should the government decide to use nuclear energy as an electricity generation source in the future”, he said in his winding up speech in the Dewan Rakyat on Budget 2025.

On Tuesday, Minister of Economy Rafizi Ramli said the government will include nuclear energy policies in the 13th Malaysia Plan 2026-2030.

The study by MyPower also touches on legal aspects and oversight, including whether there is a need to amend the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 or whether a new legislation would be more appropriate to take into account all international legislations to be enforced by Malaysia in line with international practices, he said.

“Should the government decide to use nuclear energy for electricity generation, the government will undertake a comprehensive human resource development plan to ensure the workforce is sufficient, highly-skilled and competent in the nuclear sector,” Fadillah said.

“The government will take concerted and calculated steps in spurring public understanding regarding nuclear energy usage and management of the resultant waste product,” he added.

Malaysia is seeing electricity demand rise by 30% from current maximum demand levels of 20GW by 2030, led by a jump in demand from new data centre projects in the country.

Meanwhile, the government aspires to be net zero by 2050, and is committed to no new coal plants - huge power plants that typically exceed 1GW in generation capacity, which provide more than 40% of electricity in Peninsular Malaysia at the moment.

The country also faces the prospects of a natural decline in gas supply used in gas-fired power plants which provide as much electricity as coal plants at times. In Peninsular Malaysia, some of the gas supplied to the power sector is imported.

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