Singapore Assembling Experts for Implementing Nuclear Energy

On Wednesday, Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng unveiled Singapore's ambition to cultivate a cadre of approximately 100 nuclear energy specialists over the medium to long term. However, he emphasized that the nation has yet to reach a decision on the implementation of nuclear energy and, therefore, cannot commit to a specific timeline regarding this matter.

Dr. Tan addressed supplementary inquiries from Member of Parliament Gerald Giam (WP-Aljunied), who sought clarification on the current number of scientists involved in the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative, as well as the annual allocation of scholarships aimed at nurturing a pool of nuclear scientists and expertise. Additionally, Mr. Giam inquired about the government's efforts to establish regulatory policies necessary for overseeing potential nuclear energy initiatives, including nuclear fission and fusion.

In response, Dr. Tan underscored the government's endorsement of initiatives to train scientists and specialists through educational programs both domestically and abroad. Over the past decade, the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative, located at the National University of Singapore (NUS), has awarded 30 scholarships for postgraduate studies in fields related to nuclear science and engineering. Furthermore, it has cultivated a cohort of approximately 40 researchers specializing in radiobiology, radiochemistry, and nuclear safety.

"We aim to build up a pool of about 100 experts in the medium to long run," Dr. Tan affirmed. Regarding nuclear fusion, the minister acknowledged the significant interest in this area, noting, "To date, on a sustainable basis, the net energy input needed to create that nuclear fusion reaction far exceeds the output of the energy that we can harness."