The Star 1 Dec 15;
MALAYSIA will start relying on nuclear power by 2030 if the green light is given for construction of two nuclear plants here.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Mah Siew Keong said no decision had been made yet as feasibility studies were still being carried out.
“The decision will be based on findings of the Malaysian Nuclear Power Corporation and include the views of the rakyat,” Mah said in a written reply to a question raised by Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping).
He said a detailed timeframe for the actual construction of the nuclear power plants had not been finalised.
“The earliest (date) for the nuclear power plants to be operational is by 2030,” he said, adding that the plans for nuclear power were under the 11th Malaysia Plan to generate public awareness on the nation’s future energy needs.
He said the estimated cost for developing two nuclear plants was RM23.1bil based on current global costs.
“The plans are part of the Economic Transformation Programme and the plants will be able to generate 1,000 megawatts,” he said.
Mah said the estimate cost was merely the “overnight” cost to develop the plants, which did not include financing for the project.
The Dewan Rakyat was also told that a study would be done by the Human Resources Ministry to determine the actual number of foreign workers needed in the country.
Parliament: Proposal To Set Up Nuclear Plant Not Finalised - Mah
Bernama 30 Nov 15;
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- The government has not made any decision on the proposal to build the first nuclear generation plant in the country, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Mah Siew Keong.
He said a any decision on the matter would be made after considering the findings of a research being conducted by the Malaysian Nuclear Power Corporation (MNPC), as well as the views of the people.
Based on a feasibility study that was being conducted, any decision made now on site evaluation, as well as other related activities, the earliest date for the nuclear plant to be operational will only be in 2030, he said in a written reply which distributed in the Dewan Rakyat Monday.
The reply was in response to a question by Nga Kor Ming (DAP-Taiping) who wanted to know if the government would build a nuclear energy plant by 2029 and the cost involved.
-- BERNAMA
