Indonesia, China agree to develop high-temperature reactor

Antara 13 Apr 18;

Beijing (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and China has agreed to develop a multifunction laboratory for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor.

The agreement was signed by Indonesian Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education Mohamad Nasir and Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang in Beijing on Thursday night (Apr 12).

The agreement document was inked on the sidelines of the launch of the ASEAN-China Innovation Year 2018 and the China-ASEAN Innovation Forum.

"China`s innovation needs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Similarly, ASEAN`s innovation needs China," Zhigang noted.

In addition to Indonesia, China also agreed to develop a railway system research center with Thailand, develop a new and renewable energy laboratory with Laos, and develop radar and communications satellites with Myanmar.

China has collaborated on science and technology projects with 158 countries and is involved in 200 international scientific and technological organizations, according to local media.

"We continue to support the openness and cooperation in science and technology and technology innovation more broadly and deeply," Wang noted.

The Chinese Ministry will also seek to synergize the idea of the Silk Road and the Maritime Lane of the 21st Century or "Belt and Road" with the ASEAN development plan to build the China-ASEAN community.

Minister Nasir had paid a working visit to China on April 12-15, 2018. He had an opportunity to hold a bilateral meeting with Zhigang at the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology office in Beijing.

Nasir is also scheduled to meet with representatives from the Tsinghua University and members of the Indonesian Students Association in China at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing on Friday.

Nasir will continue his visit to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on Saturday (Apr 14) to observe the Technology Industry Development Zone, the Research and Development Center at Xinan Jiaotong University, the Giant Panda Research and Development Center, and Dufu Museum.

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Commentary on nuclear energy sparks debate over risks, safety

Singapore is not ready, say experts, following ST Opinion contributor's article advocating it
Sue-Ann Tan Straits Times 5 Nov 17;

Singapore is not ready to tap nuclear energy - this is the stance of the Government and experts in the field whom The Sunday Times spoke to.

Their responses come after a debate in the past two weeks between writers to The Straits Times Forum page and ST Opinion contributor Lim Soon Heng.

Mr Lim, managing director of shipyard planning company Emas Consultants, said Singapore should move towards nuclear power. In a commentary on Oct 24, he pointed out that there are "more than 450 nuclear power plants in operation and 60 under development" worldwide.

In an interview with The Sunday Times, Mr Lim advocated building a floating plant offshore. This would keep it away from residential areas and also reduce the risk of the reactor overheating.

"Accidents happen when coolants are not circulating properly and there is a meltdown," he said. "If the nuclear plant is floating, the surrounding water will provide additional coolants that can keep it from overheating."

Mr Lim is also the managing director of Floating Solutions, a firm that provides help for those involved with offshore, floating structures.

In response, Forum writers argued that nuclear reactors carried the risk of accidents, which would have vast consequences for a small country like Singapore. Letter writer Teoh Woi Khon suggested Singapore should adopt a "wait-and-see approach" instead of rushing into harnessing nuclear energy.

SAFETY FIRST

Safety should be the main concern. Singapore... is too small and too densely populated to allow for a standard modern nuclear plant.

PROFESSOR CLAUDE GUET, research programme director at the Energy Research Institute at NTU.
Experts agree that nuclear energy is not currently suitable for Singapore, but this could change when new and safer technologies are developed.

Professor Claude Guet, research programme director at the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), said: "Safety should be the main concern. Singapore... is too small and too densely populated to allow for a standard modern nuclear plant."

He added that moving towards nuclear energy is also a multi-step process, including building up "excellent engineers" and setting up a legal framework and safety authority.

"We have to be well aware that it is a long-term commitment requiring a political consensus to a large extent," he said.

National University of Singapore (NUS) professor Lim Hock, director of the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Initiative, said: "With the current technology where the reactor core can overheat and release radioactive elements into the environment, it is a real risk.

"There can be many layers of protection, but nothing is ever 100 per cent (foolproof).

"In the case of Fukushima, it was triggered by a natural disaster beyond human control."

Prof Lim was referring to the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident. He added that the initiative's mission is to learn more about nuclear energy and develop expertise in the area, so that if there is any nuclear fallout in the region, Singapore will be able to deal with it.

Aside from concerns about the environmental and health impacts of using nuclear energy, "people are also concerned over where a nuclear power plant can be located", said NTU communications professor Shirley Ho.

"There is the fear of nuclear technologies being weaponised," she added.

The Government's stance on nuclear power has not changed since the Ministry of Trade and Industry's statements in 2012. At the time, it concluded that current nuclear energy technologies were not suitable for Singapore.

In a statement to The Sunday Times, the National Research Foundation (NRF) said: "We will continue to monitor the progress of these nuclear energy technologies to keep our energy options open for the future."

NRF said that it would also keep strengthening its capabilities to understand nuclear science by supporting research in these areas.

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Why Singapore needs to make nuclear power work

Other sources of energy such as natural gas, petrol and solar all have drawbacks here
Lim Soon Heng For The Straits Times 24 Oct 17;

As a pioneer generation Singaporean, two subjects keep my neurons firing in overdrive: floating structures for space creation, and nuclear power to boost the country's energy resilience.

Following on my article in The Straits Times ("Time for S'pore to say 'Yes' to nuclear"; March 15), here is a breakdown on why nuclear power - in the form of floating power plants - is a viable option for Singapore.

In March this year, Singapore debated passionately in Parliament and on social media about the need to be self-sufficient in water. But what seemed to be forgotten is that energy is even more crucial for our survival.

If we have access to energy, we will have access to potable water; the reverse is not true. We can desalinate water with energy but we cannot make energy out of imported water. Every joule of energy has to be imported - but what if water agreements fall through? However, a resilient energy supply chain will enable us to manufacture potable water.

Unlike other countries, Singapore is woefully short of renewable energy resources. We have no hydro, wave, tidal or geothermal potential. Strong wind occurs only in the monsoon months. Wind turbines require large land areas. Even solar energy cannot be counted on.

NATURAL GAS VULNERABILITY

Few countries depend on imported energy products as exclusively as Singapore does on natural gas.

Up until 2014, Singapore's economy was kept alive by two pipelines - in effect umbilical cords - supplying energy to gas-fired power plants.

Realising this, the Government has added another supply chain: the import of liquefied gas by ships. However, with the world economy expanding at an exponential pace and fossil fuels a finite resource, importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) is a short-term solution.

The scramble for the remaining reserves of fossil energy such as natural gas and petroleum has already begun. The United States and Russia are fighting proxy wars in the Middle East. China has claimed the lion's share of the South China Sea.

Natural gas, unlike coal and oil, is a hazardous energy to store on a mega scale, especially for a small city-state. It is also risky to transmit in pipelines. Apart from these being an attractive terrorist target, human error can result in massive loss of life and property. Reminders of this include a 97,000-tonne methane leak in California; a gas explosion at a utility resulting in a US$1.6 billion (S$2.2 billion) fine; an explosion in an unfinished plant in Connecticut; and the Taiwan gas explosion in 2014.

To serve east Singapore, as well as to strategically diversify gas terminals, plans are being considered to build more gas terminals there. This is close to flight paths of one of the world's busiest airports, as well as to an air defence base, not to mention the high population density.

All told, it would become a high-value terrorist target. To minimise risks, subsea storage and floating regasification units should be considered.

IS SOLAR ENERGY A VIABLE SOLUTION?

Solar is hyped as Singapore's renewable solution, but the maths proves otherwise.

A study by the Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore shows that it would take all the roof spaces, facades of buildings, inland water bodies, islets and MRT tracks in Singapore to generate about 4TWh of electricity - less than 10 per cent of current demand.

It proposes boosting capacity by installing floating systems out at sea. In a busy port that would be impractical. A 40MW floating solar farm in Huainan, China, has a footprint larger than 160 American football fields - 85.6ha - which is 10 times the footprint of a conventional power plant.

Germany, the showpiece for solar energy proponents, produces only 7 per cent of its energy needs with solar in spite of its enormous land mass.

STRATEGIC PETROL RESERVES

Forecasts of world oil and gas reserves vary wildly, from infinite to total depletion in less than 50 years, based on current rates of extraction.

Singapore has rock caverns with a storage capacity of 1.47 million cubic m in the first phase. This is not large enough for strategic reserves either in the form of gas or oil.

Our limited land makes both solar energy and stockpiling oil meagre solutions for the country's energy security. The last remaining option is to stockpile fissile materials.

ADVANTAGES OF URANIUM

Uranium is incredibly energy-dense.

One tonne of 3.5 per cent-enriched uranium has the same energy content as 71,000 tonnes of natural gas.

Singapore imported 19.3 million cubic m of LNG last year. The uranium with the same energy is 104 tonnes in mass and 5.5 cubic m in volume.

Several years' reserves may be packed into a small, sand-shielded bunker underground.

Low-enriched uranium (LEU) may be stored indefinitely and safely with minimal risk of endangering life.

The cost of such a storage facility is insignificant.

LEU is traded around the world. The LEU Bank of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an assurance of supply mechanism of last resort, and will be a physical reserve available for eligible IAEA member states.

With energy assured, generations of Singaporeans could sleep easy. Electricity would desalinate water for consumption and produce hydrogen for transportation.

Uranium will never be exhausted. There are an estimated 4 billiontonnes of it in the ocean and research is ongoing to mine it economically.

NUCLEAR IS SAFE

There are more than 450 nuclear power plants (NPPs) in operation and 60 under development. France produces 72 per cent of its energy with nuclear material - and is quietly selling it to Germany. Eleven other European countries produce 29 to 54 per cent of their power with nuclear.

South Korea leads Asia with a figure of 30 per cent. The US leads the world with an NPP capacity of 100GW. Former US president Barack Obama and current President Donald Trump have been reviving NPP initiatives. China leads the world in researching and developing new nuclear technologies. India is not far behind.

Fears about radioactive waste and reactor meltdowns are founded on ignorance. Sadly, little is done to correct the misconceptions.
Fears about radioactive waste and reactor meltdowns are founded on ignorance. Sadly, little is done to correct the misconceptions. Schools and universities need to introduce modules on carbon emission and climate change, dispel misconceived notions of radiation and inculcate awareness that fossil fuels could be depleted before the end of this century.

Contrary to popular belief, nuclear is the safest of all energy. NPPs cause 90 deaths per trillion-kWh (including Fukushima and Chernobyl). The corresponding figures for oil, natural gas and solar plants are 36,000, 4,000 and 440 deaths respectively. The low rate of death is all the more remarkable considering half the reactors surveyed are older than the average hydrocarbon power plant.

DEPLOYABLE NPP

Unless vast empty land is available, floating NPPs are the solution of choice.

It is faster and less costly to move an NPP than to evacuate thousands of people around it. Besides, tsunamis, earthquakes and rising sea levels make land-based NPPs vulnerable. NPPs mounted on floating structures are feasible.

An NPP submerged in water has no possibility of incurring a runaway heat escalation in its reactor core since it is easy to include redundant passive cooling systems that activate naturally by laws of physics. There are also robust solutions to address issues of terrorism, spent fuel disposal, proliferation, tsunamis, and objections from neighbouring countries, radiation poisoning and danger to port activities.

Floating NPPs are on drawing boards, production lines and launching berths in China, Russia, the US, France and South Korea. The myths about the oceans being radioactively poisoned are just that: myths. The reality is that conventional power plants are wreaking havoc in our biosphere.

Can Singapore build these?

Singapore has the necessary expertise and facilities to collaborate with an organisation in the US, France or China to develop, construct, manage and deliver such assets globally. The Economic Development Board could play an important role to forge links between these potential partners and our shipyards, which badly need a second wind.

•The writer is the managing director of Emas Consultants, a shipyard planning company.

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UK wind electricity cheaper than nuclear: data

Roland JACKSON AFP Yahoo News 12 Sep 17;

London (AFP) - The price of electricity from offshore wind in Britain has dipped below the level guaranteed to Hinkley Point, raising questions about the construction of the vast nuclear power station.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy disclosed Monday the results of auctions for state subsidies for three new wind offshore farms.

Denmark's DONG Energy won the auction to build Hornsea Two, which will become the world's biggest offshore wind farm off the coast of Yorkshire in northern England.

Germany's Innogy and Norway's Statkraft won the auction for Triton Knoll off Lincolnshire in eastern England, while Moray in Scotland was won by a consortium comprising EDP Renovaveis of Portugal and ENGIE of France.

"The projects, which are set to generate over three gigawatts of electricity, enough to power 3.6 million homes, demonstrate that the UK continues to be an attractive place to invest in clean energy," the department said in a statement.

The companies lodged bids for the so-called "strike price" they will be paid by the state for electricity generated, with the lowest amounts securing the deals.

Those prices have tumbled to £74.75 (82.36 euros, $98.52) per megawatt hour for projects deliverable in 2021/2022, and to £57.50 for projects due in 2022/2023.

- 'Nail in the coffin' -

The price of offshore wind has fallen far below that of nuclear, with the planned Hinkley Point C power plant in southwestern England having secured subsidies of £92.50 per megawatt hour.

The gigantic Hinkley project was awarded to a French-Chinese consortium -- led by French giant EDF -- last year but has been plagued by long delays and cost overruns.

"Today's results mean that both onshore and offshore wind are cheaper than gas and nuclear," noted trade body RenewableUK in a statement on Monday.

However, the Nuclear Industry Association cautioned in another statement that "one technology alone can't solve the UK's power challenge".

Wind and solar production have the drawback of being unpredictable, with countries needing to call on gas, coal or nuclear plants to raise output if there is no breeze or sun.

British government wind power subsidies have now halved since the last auction was held in 2015.

Environmentalists have long urged the government to focus on renewable sources like wind and solar power to meet Britain's energy needs.

Opponents have criticised the high guaranteed Hinkley price level, which is fixed over 35 years and rises with inflation.

Lawmaker Caroline Lucas, co-leader of the Green Party, said the massive price drop for offshore wind should be the "nail in the coffin" for new nuclear power.

"The government's undying commitment to new nuclear risks locking us into sky-high prices for years to come," Lucas warned.

- 'Big step forward' -

Meanwhile, Michael Ware, partner at BDO's corporate finance division, said Monday's announcement raised questions over the future of tidal and wave energy -- which are more costly.

“We were pleasantly surprised by the low price bids in the latest auction," Ware told AFP, describing it a "vindication" of government policy.

"However, it does beg the obvious question of where a £57.50 strike price leaves other nascent technologies, such as tidal and wave, which are probably not economically viable at that level.

"It also puts the (price) being paid for Hinkley Point into sharp perspective."

Nevertheless, Ware added it was "a big step forward in the transition to a renewable (energy) grid".

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Indonesia: Russia keen to build nuclear power plant in Indonesia

Antara 23 Aug 17;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Russia, on Wednesday, expressed interest to invest in Indonesia by building a nuclear power plant to boost the nations power supply, which currently reaches only 89.5 percent.

"We believe that Indonesias power requirement will not be met ideally through the use of conventional methods, which is why we are offering to build a nuclear power plant," Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Mikhail Galuzin informed reporters in Jakarta.

Galuzin stated that Moscow already has rich experience in developing nuclear power plants in various countries in the world. Last year, Russia had helped to implement a nuclear power plant project valued at US$10 billion in Iran.

In May this year, Russias Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation had also proposed the same project to Indonesia through Maritime Coordinating Minister Luhut Pandjaitan. Rosatom has already proposed various potential sites to build a power plant, with a capacity of over one thousand megawatts, in earthquake-proof areas, such as Bangka Island and East Kalimantan.

However, at that time, Pandjaitan had remarked that Indonesia was not yet ready and needed to first increase public awareness on nuclear power.

Nuclear power is still a debatable topic in Indonesia. According to the World Nuclear Association, Indonesia will need as much as 450 billion kilowatt hour of energy by 2026 based on the assumption that the industrial demand will rise by 10.5 percent every year.

Most of the demand for power is still met by power plants in Java and Bali that use gasoline and natural gas, with a low power reserve that had resulted in frequent blackouts due to high demand.

Looking at the current situation, Russia has offered to build a nuclear power plant that will not only increase the power share ratio but will also ensure reliable supply.

Moreover, stakeholders believe that the highly toxic nuclear waste is hazardous and cannot be recycled.

Until now, the only way to discard nuclear waste was by burying it underground, but since Indonesia is located in the "ring of fire," with a quake-prone environment, this method poses high risks in terms of leaks and poisoning of the underground water table.

Nuclear leaks were reported in Japan in 2011 when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake struck the nuclear facility in Fukushima. According to Greenpeace, the leak could destroy the ecosystem, with the damage lasting for centuries.(*)

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Malaysia needs to go for nuclear energy

ZAZALI MUSA The Star 30 Nov 16;

JOHOR BARU: Malaysia has no choice but to go for nuclear energy in less than 15 years from now to ensure the country is able to cater for its energy needs in the future.

Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia) director-general Datuk Dr Muhamad Lebai Juri said the idea of the country having nuclear energy had been discussed many years ago.

He pointed out that nuclear energy would not replace the existing energy in the country derived from fossil fuel, gas, coal or even renewable energy such as solar, wind and hydro power.

“Malaysia needs a good mix of energy coming from different sources to reduce its dependency on only from one particular source,’’ Dr Muhamad said at a briefing.

He said this after opening the three-day 19th Radiation Protection Conference and Workshop 2016 attended by some 250 radiation practitioners nationwide.

Dr Muhamad said one advantage of using nuclear energy was that the authorities would be able to keep the power tariff low unlike using power from gas, coal or fossil fuel although the initial investment to set up a nuclear plant is costly.

He said if Malaysia were to go for nuclear energy, it would made up between 10% and 30% of the country’s total energy output while the balance would come from fossil fuel, gas, coal, hydro power, solar and wind.

“South Korea is planning to build between three and five nuclear reactors to have 30% of its power output made up of nuclear energy by 2030,’’ said Dr Muhamad.

He added that in France, 80% of the country’s power supply came from nuclear power and in the United States, there were about 101 nuclear power plants.

Dr Muhamad said that at the end of the day, it is the prerogative of the Government to decide whether there is a need for the country to go for nuclear energy. “We will continue educating and creating awareness among the people that nuclear energy is safe if Malaysia decides to go for nuclear energy one day.’’

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Vietnam abandons plan for first nuclear power plants

Mai Nguyen and Ho Binh Minh Reuters 22 Nov 16;

Vietnam's National Assembly voted on Tuesday to abandon plans to build two multi-billion-dollar nuclear power plants with Russia and Japan, after officials cited lower demand forecasts, rising costs and safety concerns.

The vote to scrap the country's first atomic energy project deals a blow to the global nuclear business and to Japan's drive to begin exporting reactors after the Fukushima disaster left its nuclear industry in a deep freeze.

The Vietnamese government said in a statement that the decision, made in a closed session of parliament after discussion of a government proposal, was taken for economic reasons and not because of any technological considerations.

Russia's Rosatom and a consortium of Japanese firms led by private utility Japan Atomic Power [JATOM.UL] were due to build the plants.

The estimated investment needed for the projects had doubled since 2009 to nearly 400 trillion dong ($18 billion), state media Tien Phong quoted Le Hong Tinh, vice chairman of the National Assembly's science, technology and environment commission, as saying earlier this month.

The Vietnamese government is fiscally strapped as public debt lingers near the permitted limit, curbing its ability to maintain Vietnam as one of Asia's fastest-growing economies through spending.

Growth in power demand in Vietnam is also forecast to slacken.

When the government approved plans for the two plants in 2009, growth in Vietnam's annual power demand was projected at 17-20 percent.

Duong Quang Thanh, chairman of state utility Vietnam Electricity group, was quoted by state-run Voice of Vietnam radio recently as saying that annual growth between 2016 and 2020 was now forecast at 11 percent, and 7-8 percent through 2030.

Vietnam's decision to scrap the project is a further setback for the nuclear industry as countries from Germany to Indonesia have decided to either pull out of nuclear energy or cancel development plans in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011, the world's worst since Chernobyl in 1986.

Environmental campaign group Greenpeace, however, welcomed the decision to drop the nuclear plan, saying it would have been a waste of money when renewable energy alternatives are available.

"The project could also pose an environmental threat, and Vietnam cannot afford to risk another disaster after a toxic industrial leak triggered mass fish deaths earlier this year," Greenpeace Regional Campaign Coordinator Arif Fiyanto told Reuters.

A toxic leak sullied over 200 km (125 miles) of coastline in April. The country's worst environmental disaster, it killed more than 100 tonnes of fish and left thousands jobless.

The Japanese and Russian nuclear plants were due to have been located in central Ninh Thuan province. They would have had a combined capacity of 4,000 megawatts.

"We respect our customer's position, and we are ready to provide the full support to Vietnam when the country continues the implementation of its national nuclear power program," Russia's Rosatom said in an emailed comment.

Rosatom, however, is not fully pulling out of Vietnam. The state-run company said it would continue taking part in developing nuclear technologies and infrastructure, which should support peaceful nuclear energy in Vietnam, it said without elaborating.

(Additional reporting by My Pham in Hanoi and Svetlana Burmistrova in Moscow; Editing by John Chalmers and Susan Fenton)

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Malaysia will only have nuclear plants after 2030

MARTIN CARVALHO The Star 3 Nov 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Plans to develop the nation's first two nuclear power plants have been postponed to after 2030, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Nancy Shukri.

She said the time frame was extended following a feasibility study considering the possible effects of natural disasters on the plants.

"We have extended the time line to consider building the nuclear plants from 2021 to 2030,” said Nancy.

"This is taking into consideration local and international sentiments, particularly the effects of the tsunami that affected the Fukishima nuclear plant in Japan in March 2011," she added when answering a question by Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid (BN-Kota Tinggi) during Minister's Question Time in Parliament Thursday.

She said that any decision to build the nuclear power plants would be based on the laws governing the use of nuclear power.

"Based on the feasibility study's timeline, it would take more than 11 years to complete the nuclear plants from the date the Government decides to go ahead with plans to build them," she added.

Nancy assured lawmakers that Malaysia was not looking at nuclear power for military purposes, saying that this was in line with the terms laid down in the Asean Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) treaty.

Malaysia is a signatory to the treaty.

"Malaysia isn’t the only Asean nation exploring nuclear power for its energy needs. Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are also studying nuclear power to generate electricity,” she said.

Nancy added that Vietnam had recently signed an agreement with Russia to build the first nuclear power plant in their country

To a question by Dr Che Rosli Che Mat (PAS-Hulu Langat), Nancy assured that the public would be informed if the country decides to move towards nuclear power.

She said the Government welcomes feedback on the matter from all quarters, as any decision to resort to nuclear power would affect the nation as a whole.

The proposed programme to develop two nuclear plants was reported to cost about RM23.1bil.

The projects were supposed to start in 2013 but rescheduled to 2021.


No decision so far to build nuke plants, says Nancy
The Star 4 Nov 16;

There is no decision so far to build nuclear power plants in Malaysia, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (pic) said.

Although the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) targeted nuclear power plants to be operational by 2021, she said the move would be postponed as the Government needed to take into account latest developments and prevailing sentiments at home and abroad, especially regarding the impact of the 2011 tsunami on the Japanese nuclear power programme.

“Initial information obtained from the feasibility study shows the timeline required for implementation and completion of the nuclear power plant is at least 11 years from the date the Government made the decision,” she said.

Based on the study, the nuclear power programme in Malaysia would only be able to operate after 2030, subject to the approval of a new and comprehensive Atomic Energy Regulatory Bill, she added.

Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid (BN-Kota Tinggi) had asked the date of the construction of the two nuclear power plants as stated in the ETP, which is part of the New Economic Model announ­ced on Oct 25, 2010.

Nancy said Malaysia’s nuclear development programme was about generating electricity and not to produce weapons.

“Malaysia is not the only country in the region which is exploring the possibility of implementing a nuclear programme for energy; neighbouring countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand are also working towards it,” she said.

Vietnam, Nancy added, had even signed an agreement with Russia to build the first nuclear power plant in the country.


More studies needed, nuclear power programme will only happen after 2030, says Nancy
LAILI ISMAIL New Straits Times 3 Nov 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's nuclear power programme will only be able to kick off after 2030, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri today.

Speaking at the Parliament today, Nancy said the government has yet to decide on the nuclear power project development as its feasibility study indicated a different timeline compared to the one stated in the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).

"Based on the feasibility study, we need at least 11 years to complete the power plant, from the date the government decides to start the bidding process.

"Although the ETP stated 2021 as the target year, it has to be shifted as the government has to take into account the current development and sentiment on nuclear power specifically the tsunami effect on Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant in March 2011," Nancy (BN-Batang Sadong) said in response to question from BN's Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid.

Noor Ehsanuddin had asked for the minister, who oversees Malaysian Innovation Agency, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and the Malaysian Nuclear Power Corporation, to state the date of construction for the two nuclear power plants as stipulated in the ETP.

Nancy said the nuclear power generation progamme would only be able to operate after 2030 which would still be subjected to the approval of the atomic energy regulation bill.

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Indonesia says it’s ready for first nuke power plant

Haeril Halim The Jakarta Post 11 Oct 16;

As the government completes preliminary studies and prepares human resources to build and operate the country’s first nuclear power plant, it is keeping its options open for countries to invest in the project.

The country established the Nuclear Law in 1997 as a legal basis to build a nuclear power plant, but attempts to realize it have been hampered by environmental concerns, especially following the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that led to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.

A recent visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in mid-September boosted Indonesia’s confidence after the agency concluded that the country had a high level of readiness to carry out the environmentally friendly program.

The National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) said it had studied two strategic locations for the plant — in Bangka Belitung province and in Jepara, Central Java — both of which are low earthquake risk areas compared to other regions in Indonesia, also known as part of the Pacific Ring of Fire that is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis

Bangka is considered strategic to meet electricity demand for both Sumatra and Java, while Jepara is another option, should the plant be designed only to support Java.

Nuclear plants, if finally built in Jepara and Bangka, could each produce more than 1,000 megawatts (MW) of power.

“Nuclear power plants [PLTN] are a political decision. We will stick to the President’s decision [on the matter],” BATAN chief Djarot Sulistio Wisnubroto told The Jakarta Post.

BATAN has briefed President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo with regard to which country Indonesia should work with to establish its first nuclear power plant. The countries on the table are Russia, South Korea, France, China, the US and Japan.

BATAN has also carried out a capacity building program with Rusatom Overseas, a subsidiary of Russian state corporation Rosatom to assist the country in preparing the project.

A nuclear power plant takes around seven to 10 years to build and Indonesia risks missing its target to fulfill 19.6 percent of its total energy demand by 2025 with new and renewable energy, as recorded in the country’s national energy plan, if it fails to start building its first nuclear plant by 2017, at the latest.

Nuclear is one of several new energy options that will contribute to achieving the 19.6 percent target.

By 2025, the government hopes 50.3 percent of electricity generation will be fueled by coal, 29.4 percent by gas, 0.7 percent by petroleum-based fuel and the remaining 19.6 percent by new and renewable energy sources. “If we assume that the establishment of the PLTN will take around seven to 10 years, then the nuke decision has to be made soon,” Djarot said.

Funding will be a huge barrier for Indonesia to kick off its first nuclear project, as it is estimated that a nuclear power plant would cost around Rp 60 trillion (US$4.62 billion) to Rp 70 trillion for a 1,400-MW power plant.

Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) deputy for permits and inspection Khoirul Huda said the IAEA had concluded that Indonesia had the adequate regulations and infrastructure to build its first nuclear power plant.

“The response [from the IAEA] is positive. It only suggests that all relevant institutions in Indonesia increase coordination and communications with regard to the nuclear plan,” Khoirul told the Post.

Bapeten said there were several technologies considered by Indonesia to materialize its nuclear plan, including a light-water reactor (LWR), advanced heavy-water reactor (AHWR) and nuclear coolant reactor.

Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) geologist Benyamin Sapiie said Bangka and Jepara were located in regions that had strong terrains, making them less prone to earthquakes. “According to current data on long-term stability of the regions, there is nothing that could potentially cause a big earthquake in those places. Jepara is located near a volcano, but there is no earthquake risk in the region,” Benyamin said.

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A floating nuclear power plant - off Singapore?

Lim Soon Heng For The Straits Times 4 Oct 16;

The Republic could be a world leader in building small reactors deployed at sea, including in nearby waters
The Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in 2011 left the world with a deep aversion to nuclear power.

However, the approval last month by Britain for the construction of a nuclear plant at Hinkley Point is a symbolic turning point.

Britain will pay £92.50 per megawatt hour of electricity produced (S$0.165/kwhr), rising with inflation, for 35 years, according to the Financial Times.

The price is substantially higher than the prevailing market rate for fossil fuels. The British government must have decided that the premium for the clean energy was worth paying. It is also a tacit acknowledgement that the harvesting of wind, solar and tidal current energies will not meet foreseeable demand.

Nuclear fission emits no pollutants or gases. A gas-, oil- or coal-fired power plant insidiously emits toxins and carbon dioxide, threatening life and destabilising the environment.

According to the Nuclear Energy Institute: "As of May 2016, 30 countries worldwide are operating 444 nuclear reactors for electricity generation, and 63 new nuclear plants are under construction in 15 countries."

In Asia, by 2030, China expects to have 150 gigawatts (GWe) of electricity - Malaysia, 1 GWe; Vietnam, 10 GWe; and Indonesia, 35 GWe. In France, 75 per cent of the energy is from nuclear sources.

Is the nuclear option important for Singapore? Certainly. Ninety- five per cent of Singapore's energy needs are piped from Indonesia and Malaysia in the form of natural gas. The economy's heavy dependence on a single fuel type, and its mode of delivery, makes it vulnerable.

To diversify its procurement strategy, Singapore has built liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage and regasification facilities so that LNG can be shipped in addition to being piped. Storage facilities, including deep caverns and floating tank farms, have been developed.

However, LNG reserves are finite. Nobody is sure how much is left.

Renewable energy, such as solar power, is the only sustainable energy source for this century but the technologies to harness renewables economically still face challenges. Even if they are overcome elsewhere, in Singapore, the challenges will remain.

Solar energy is very costly because it is land-intensive. And renewable energy from hydro, wind and tidal current sources are not that available in Singapore.

THE ONLY VIABLE ANSWER

The nuclear option is the only viable one. However, with an area of 713 sq km, Singapore does not have the space for a nuclear power plant. (For Fukushima, an area within a 20km radius from the plant was declared unsafe, an area 75 per cent larger than Singapore).

Retired Cambridge University don Andrew Palmer, formerly Keppel Chair professor in the department of civil engineering at the National University of Singapore, advocates building a nuclear plant underground. He argues that, in this way, "any leak is contained, it is easier to defend the site against terrorism, and land is used more efficiently".

Leak or no leak, I wonder if anyone living or working above the plant will feel safe. Instead, I would like to propose that a nuclear plant, if needed, should be built at sea, as a floating platform. After all, in the event of a dangerous situation, we should move the plant - not the people around the plant. There is only one way to do this: The plant has to be afloat at sea.

The advent of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) provides a viable solution. SMRs are serially manufactured fission reactors with capacities ranging from about 50 to 500 megawatts. A number of countries, notably Russia and France, produce SMRs.

Each reactor module is transportable by sea. SMRs produce heat by fission of a nuclear material, emitting no gas. The heat may be used to produce steam to drive turbines or for desalination or other industrial processes.

The systems downstream of the heat source are the same as those found in any conventional steam-turbine power plant.

A floating SMR power plant (or fSMR) consists of a nuclear fission reactor below the water line. The boiler drum, turbine, condenser, alternator and transformers are, for ease of operation and maintenance, installed above the water line. An air-gap between both improves stability.

The suite of offshore oil rigs - semi-submersibles, jack-ups, tension leg platforms, spars and drill ships - provides many possible solutions to the hull form.

Circulating water for the condenser comes from the sea beneath, eliminating space for cooling towers. The footprint of each fSMR is less than 100m in any direction. Its design is not site-specific. It can be installed anywhere with sufficient water depth, regardless of the geology of the seabed. It is deployable, and is easily replaced with a new one when it gets old.

These floating plants do not require refuelling for months or even years. Refuelling is done at a dedicated place to which they may be towed. Maintenance and decommissioning are carried out at an accredited shipyard. A spare fSMR can stand in during the time it is taken out of commission.

BUILDING SUCH PLANTS IS DO-ABLE

Singapore is a world leader in offshore rig solutions. Although it would be a quantum leap, it is an incremental step to move from the construction of oil rigs to fSMRs.

We need only to develop the expertise to install and commission the nuclear reactor. The skill set for the rest of the system downstream of the reactor is not new.

The existing infrastructure - mooring specialists, heavy-lift cranes, classification societies and dry tow transporters - will support an fSMR construction industry. From being a world leader in offshore rigs, Singapore has what it takes to be a world leader in building fSMRs. However, its yards need a strategic partner that can deliver the SMR, with a good brand like France's Areva. A matchmaker is needed to bring the two parties together. The Economic Development Board can fulfil that role.

Can an fSMR be defended against terrorism? Sure.

The sea surrounding Singapore is among the safest in the world due to the high level of vigilance and port protocol. Nevertheless, a concrete floating barrier/breakwater of 200m in diameter should be built around the fSMR.

The mooring system for the barrier would be designed to allow the barrier to move a couple of metres. The compression of the fenders, the motion of the barrier and the friction of the water will absorb the kinetic energy of the impact when any collision occurs.

Radar, underwater ultrasonic, weapon-bearing drones and high- voltage fencing would provide additional surveillance and protection.

Can the fSMR's off-peak output be used? Of course.

I have encouraged the national water agency PUB to consider the use of floating, steel-framed reservoirs with fabric linings.

A desalination plant with a floating reservoir can be located close to an fSMR to tap energy during the night off-peak hours. This would smooth the load and optimise efficiency. The reservoir may be used to grow vegetables or rear fish.

Has it been done before? Yes. Since the first nuclear submarine USS Nautilus in 1954, many naval and icebreaking ships are nuclear-powered.

Shipyards in Russia and China are, or will be, increasingly used to build floating nuclear plants.

In the United States, even though wind, tidal current, solar and shale gas are abundant, fSMR interest is emerging. Professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Wisconsin have gone public with plans to design fSMRs, inspired by advances in offshore rig-building technology.

While the capital cost of an fSMR is high, the levelised cost is not prohibitive. This is a measure of the cost of producing renewable energy over its expected lifetime energy output. This unit cost is derived by dividing the lifecycle cost, including land, capital expenditure, construction, fuel, operation and maintenance on a present-value basis by all the energy produced over the life of the plant.

In Singapore, due to the very high cost of land, the difference between the levelised costs of an fSMR and a conventional gas-fired plant would be attractive.

To be sure, the notion of a floating nuclear plant in Singapore may seem startling to some. But my point is that this is a sensible solution that builds on Singapore's expertise in offshore rig building, and which can be cost-effective. It is no sci-fi solution, but a distinct possibility.

•The writer is managing director of Floating Solutions LLP.

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Indonesia: Bangka Belitong recommended as location for nuclear power plant

Antara 4 Aug 16;

Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - The National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan) has recommended the establishment of nuclear power plants (PLTN) in the Bangka Belitong Province.

"Bangka Island, which is composed of granite, can sustain the construction of PLTN and its land is relatively stable," Batan Head Djarot Sulistio Wisnusubroto said here on Thursday.

Batan also recommended Menggris Gulf, West Bangka, and Sebagin Village, South Bangka as locations for PLTN.

"Bangka Island is relatively safe from earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. The island was recommended for the establishment of PLTN," he remarked.

The development of a nuclear power plant on Bangka Island is also considered strategic, because the location is not far from the Sumatra Island.

"The nuclear power plant can supply electricity to Sumatra," he stated.

State-owned electricity company PLN is also conducting a study on the price of electricity, which is produced by nuclear power plants.

"Its value is lower than using coal fuel," Djarot noted.

The price of electricity using coal fuel reached Rp9 cents per kilowatt hour (KWh), while the price of electricity produced by nuclear power plant was only Rp 6-Rp 8 cents KWh.

"The price is competitive," he said.

However, Batan cannot ensure the construction of the PLTN in Bangka Island, depending on the policy of the central government.

"We are just technical support. We help choose technology and the proper location," Djarot affirmed.

On the occasion, the Secretary General of the National Security Council, M Munir emphasized that Indonesia requires a nuclear power station.

Munir pointed out that the potential of nuclear energy in Indonesia was very large.

"Unfortunately, the nuclear energy has yet to be empowered optimally," he noted.

The Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Learning Education, Mohamad Nasir, had earlier said Indonesia must immediately build a nuclear power plant to meet the electricity needs of 60,000 megawatt by 2025.

"A nuclear power plant must be given serious consideration," he argued.

He pointed out that the trend has shifted from oil and coal to new and renewable energy sources, including nuclear energy.

He cited the example of France, saying it has been producing and using nuclear power, and also exports it. Germany, although it has decided to stop nuclear power development, still uses energy produced by France's nuclear power plants.

In the Middle East, he added, the United Arab Emirates is building four nuclear power plants, which will be completed at the rate of one plant each year between 2017 and 2020.(*)

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NEA calls for tender for system to monitor radiation levels in environment

Channel NewsAsia 30 Jun 16;

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) called for a tender on Thursday (Jun 30) for a system that would allow authorities to monitor radiation levels in the environment.

In a statement, NEA said the tender calls for interested parties to supply, deliver, install and maintain equipment for the ambient radiation monitoring network (ARMNet). With the system, NEA said it will be able to establish baseline radiation levels, and in time detect any potential increases of radioactive substances in the environment.

The monitoring stations will be placed at different locations across the island, including along coastal lines and waters. NEA said these stations do not pose any safety or environmental concerns, as they are collecting data “passively”.

The monitoring network is expected to be fully operational by 2018, according to NEA. The tender will close on Aug 30, and is expected to be awarded in February next year.

NEA said the gathering of such data through the network is timely, and supports Singapore’s response to any nuclear or radiological incidents that could occur in the region. A national pre-feasibility study conducted in 2010 concluded that nuclear energy would not be an option for Singapore given current technologies. But it also found a need for the island state to strengthen the capabilities to understand nuclear science and technology.

In 2014, more than S$63 million was set aside for the Nuclear Safety Research and Education Programme, to fund research and the development of nuclear safety, science and engineering over five years.

- CNA/mo

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Indonesia must build nuclear power plant immediately -- Minister

Antara 25 May 16;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Learning Education, Mohamad Nasir, said Indonesia must immediately build a nuclear power plant to meet the electricity needs of 60,000 megawatt by 2025.

"A nuclear power plant must be given serious consideration," he argued here on Tuesday.

He pointed out that the trend has shifted from oil and coal to new and renewable energy sources, including nuclear.

He cited the example of France, saying it has been producing and using nuclear power, and also exports it. Germany, although it has decided to stop nuclear power development, still uses energy produced by Frances nuclear power plants.

In the Middle East, he added, the United Arab Emirates is building four nuclear power plants which will be completed at a rate of one plant each year between 2017 and 2020.

Nasir, who spoke to the UAEs Minister of Energy during the Asia-Africa Conferences annual summit in Bandung last year, explained that the country, which is the third biggest producer of oil, would shift from oil to nuclear.

"Nuclear is our future, as oil is for our children and grandchildren," Nasir quoted the UAE minister as saying when asked why his country would opt for a nuclear power plant.

Saudi Arabia, which has suffered a budget deficit after a plunge in the oil price, has declared it will use nuclear power to replace oil by 2020.

In Asia, he observed, Malaysia has also committed to develop a nuclear reactor.

"Our neighbor has seen that if in 2018-2019, Indonesia does not build a nuclear power plant, it will do so in Serawak," he stated.

He posited that if security and safety are cited as reasons for Indonesia not building a nuclear power plant, Malaysia will do it near Indonesia.

"The question is if a disaster happened, who would be affected first? It will be us (Indonesia)," he underscored.

Nasir advocated that nuclear power plant development is very safe and controlled while energy from the plant could reduce cost as it is very cheap.(*)


Indonesia has sufficient number of nuclear experts: Minister
Antara 25 May 16;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Education, Mohamad Nasir, said Indonesia has a sufficient number of nuclear experts to develop the technology.

Indonesia has several universities which have study programs in nuclear science and engineering, the minister pointed out here on Tuesday.

"The Bandung Institute of Technology has engineering and physics program, and the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta has nuclear physics program. So, we have a lot of human resources adept in nuclear engineering," Nasir explained.

However, according to him, the Indonesian human resources in nuclear technology have not been working in the country because there is no nuclear technology development program in Indonesia yet.

As a result, they are working in other countries where the nuclear technology is well developed.

"A lot of our human resources are working in Japan and Russia, and even very likely to work in Malaysia," Nasir observed.

In addition to human resources, the minister added, Indonesia also has abundant nuclear elements in nature, such as uranium, which has not been explored for nuclear power plant.

He stated that the ministry, together with the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan), continues to conduct research and development in the field of nuclear energy to generate power, develop treatments and build a nuclear reactor.

Nasir also wanted Indonesia to immediately utilize its nuclear potentials as an alternative source of energy. He stressed that the nuclear power plant and other nuclear utilizations are safe.(*)

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Avoiding a nightmare for S.E. Asia’s dreams of nuclear power

LIN YANQIN Today Online 31 Mar 16;

When the Government said earlier this year that it was reviewing whether to lift curbs on food imports from Japan’s Fukushima prefecture, it prompted a ripple of concern among the public, who wondered if it was too soon.

A radiation leak at the Fukushima nuclear power plant, which resulted from an earthquake in 2011, put fears of a nuclear fallout hitting the region on the consciousness of Singaporeans for the first time.

Until then, nuclear power and its risks were a distant concept. But lesser known is the fact that for decades, Singapore has lived alongside neighbours with small-scale research nuclear reactors, including Indonesia (three), Thailand (one), Vietnam (one) and Malaysia (one). The Republic, along with New Zealand, is the only Pacific Rim country with no research reactor, according to the World Nuclear Association, which promotes nuclear power.

Indeed, the appetite for nuclear power in South-east Asia is growing, unlike in North America and Europe. Vietnam and Indonesia have both engaged international partners with the know-how to work on their first power-generating nuclear plants.

But how prepared are countries and the region as a whole for the possibility that something could go wrong?

In recent years, experts have noted weaknesses within the countries, such as the lack of nuclear expertise and protocol that do not meet International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards. Regionally, there is also not enough nuclear accident response capabilities and information-sharing on the matter.

WHERE THE RISKS LIE

Among the key nuclear developments in South-east Asia is the Ninh Thuan 1 plant in Vietnam, which is expected to have a capacity of around 4,000 megawatts, meeting 3 to 4 per cent of the country’s total electricity demand. Vietnam is working with Russia’s state nuclear firm on the plant, which will start construction in 2020. It is also working with a Japanese consortium to develop a second nuclear plant.

In Indonesia, plans to operate four nuclear power plants by 2025 with a total capacity of 6 gigawatts have been shelved in the wake of public objection, but its plans for its first experimental 10-megawatt nuclear power plant in Serpong in Banten province remains on track to start construction next year.

Beyond South-east Asia, China, seeking to move away from coal power, is set to build 40 nuclear power plants over the next five years. This is on top of the 30 it now has in operation, and the 24 under construction, according to the World Nuclear Association. South Korea has 25 nuclear reactors providing about one-third of its electricity, while, more ominously, North Korea recently conducted nuclear and missile tests, prompting tough sanctions against the country.

Dr Michael Malley of the Naval Postgraduate School and Dr Tanya Ogilvie-White of the University of Canterbury noted that at a 2011 international conference on nuclear challenges in South-east Asia, participants, especially those from outside the region, felt South-east Asian governments “have not done enough to prepare for worst-case scenarios”.

What could lead to these worst-case scenarios?

Protecting nuclear material and facilities from terrorists is a key concern. Indeed, it was the impetus for United States President Barack Obama to initiate the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in 2009, the fourth edition of which begins today, with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong among those in attendance.

Other concerns are whether nuclear power plants are being built, maintained and secured in a way that meets international standards. Are nuclear-related materials transported properly? How many shipments pass through the region annually? Have there been any breach of rules and has action been taken against those who do not observe the rules? Is nuclear waste being safely disposed of?

In 2014, a report by the Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University highlighted the risks in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia’s nuclear ambitions. For example, Vietnam’s emergency protocol still did not conform to the IAEA’s standards, and it did not have a comprehensive nuclear power plant security plan as well as a management plan for spent fuel.

Indonesia is relatively better prepared, as it has been mulling nuclear power since 1956. The country has in place two agencies overseeing the implementation and regulation of nuclear power and inter-agency groups to coordinate disaster response. The IAEA also conducted an Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review in Indonesia in 2009, and while it was not made public, the Indonesian government has said it confirms the country’s extensive preparatory work. But the NTS Centre researchers noted objections, such as “distrust towards the government’s capability in dealing with nuclear emergencies, financial constraints, Indonesia’s vulnerability to natural disasters, and corrupt practices”.

Nuclear power has not been ruled out by Malaysia, but there has been “serious concerns over the safe disposal of nuclear waste and the independence and impartiality of the Malaysian regulatory body, Atomic Energy Licensing Board”, noted the researchers. An investigation at a radioactive waste management facility in Kuantan run by Australian mining firm Lynas found that the storage system there was inadequate and risked exposing workers to high radiation, among other lapses.

“The future implications this has for nuclear power plant development and the safe disposal of nuclear waste are significant,” they said.

While the intentions behind nuclear development in the region may be peaceful, the implications of inadequate implementation and management are anything but. South-east Asia is prone to natural disasters. Indeed, this has been central to objections from Indonesians in areas where proposed reactors are to be built (in Central Java and in the Bangka-Belitung Province).

Anti-nuclear groups have noted that the country, sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is vulnerable to earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions, even in areas the Indonesian government said are relatively safe from tectonic activity.

WHAT NEXT?

That nuclear power and its risks occupy a very low rung on the average Singaporean’s list of priorities has not escaped the Government. Although the Government decided not to pursue nuclear power as an option for the foreseeable future after a feasibility study, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has stressed the importance of nuclear security and safety to Singapore.

“We are small and densely-populated. Any nuclear or radiological incident would be a major disaster, perhaps an existential one,” he said at the last NSS in 2014. That year, Singapore amended the Radiation Protection Act so that it can accede to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its 2005 amendments.

The National Research Foundation started a programme to train 100 nuclear experts in the next decade. These experts would, for example, be able to study the impact of radiation on Singapore in the event of a nuclear incident, so that the authorities can roll out precautionary measures. Experts would also be able to detect and trace radioactive materials that could be used to make weapons. So far, only nine experts have been selected in the last two years.

Mr Lee has attended all four editions of the NSS, underscoring the importance of nuclear security to the Republic. While North Korea and its nuclear tests could dominate the discussions over the next few days, countries, including Singapore, will be delivering progress reports on nuclear security.

Also on the table are possible actions the international community can take to strengthen the global security architecture. With this NSS being the last — in tandem with the end of Mr Obama’s term as President — countries are expected to adopt a set of documents on the road ahead to key security initiatives. The fallout from a nuclear disaster does not stop at international boundaries. On a regional level, countries can come together and adopt a common position to promote nuclear safety and non-proliferation. And as the Government ramps up the training of experts, the ordinary Singaporean will benefit from understanding the implications of nuclear power booming so close to our shores.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lin Yanqin is a deputy news editor at TODAY.

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Singapore plans to develop local pool of nuclear experts: National Research Foundation

The experts could increase Singapore's capabilities in nuclear safety and help authorities roll out precautionary measures in the event of a nuclear incident, the National Research Foundation said.
Leong Wai Kit, News 5 Channel NewsAsia 25 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE: There are no current plans to build nuclear power plants in Singapore, but the country intends to develop its own pool of local nuclear experts in the next five years, the National Research Foundation (NRF) said.

One of the roles of the nuclear experts is to protect Singaporeans from radiation, NRF said, adding that its scientists are undergoing training to manage nuclear safety in the country.

For example, if there is a nuclear incident in the region, the experts will be able to tell if or when radiation will hit Singapore by studying the wind directions, wind speeds, and calculating the amount of radiation in the air. This would help authorities roll out precautionary measures.

Another key area of focus for NRF is nuclear forensics, where experts detect and trace radioactive materials that could be used to make bombs, it said. The Foundation added that experts would also be able to look out for radiation contamination in the nation's waters and in food imports.

DIFFICULTIES ATTRACTING EXPERTS TO "NICHE" AREA

Despite the crucial nature of the work of nuclear experts, NRF Director of the Energy and Environment Research Directorate Dr Yeoh Lean Weng said there were difficulties in attracting talent to the very "niche" area.

"Students may think that the career path is still very limited," he said.

The Foundation started a programme two years ago to train 100 nuclear experts in the next decade, or 10 experts a year. However, it has fallen short of this target so far, with only nine experts selected in the last two years.

"The fact is that we only have one research institute to build capabilities. There's no nuclear power plant, there's no nuclear industry," said Dr Yeoh.

To attract more talent, the NRF plans to broaden career paths for nuclear scientists and boost scholarships, it said.

REGIONAL PUSH TOWARDS NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY

Associate Chair of Research at Nanyang Technological University's School of Materials Science and Engineering Professor Timothy White said ASEAN will be gradually increasing its involvement in nuclear technology - countries like Indonesia and Vietnam have said they are planning to build nuclear power plants.

"We are in a neighbourhood where this is going to happen so we need to understand what nuclear (technology) is all about, if we are going to develop the correct responses and appreciation of what is happening with our neighbours."

Prof White said it was not likely for Singapore to follow in its neighbours' footsteps in developing nuclear power facilities in the near future.

"The nuclear plant requires such a high level of capability to run. We are such a small country," he explained.

However, experts told Channel NewsAsia it was possible that ASEAN nations would come together to pool resources, in order to build a power plant in the region. This would mean the expertise, costs and benefits of a nuclear power plant could be shared among member countries.

The plant could be situated in a country with large land areas located away from residential zones, with the power generated supplied to member nations through an electrical grid.

Dr Yeoh said the biggest challenge to this was in member countries having the political will to carry out the project.

In addition, countries like Singapore will be concerned about security and supply, he said.

"We are concerned about security and supply from pipe gas, so we will have the same issues in getting nuclear energy from another country because it's beyond our sovereign borders."

- CNA/mz


PM Lee to discuss international action to strengthen nuclear security
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is set to outline possible collective action for the international community to strengthen the global nuclear security architecture at the Nuclear Security Summit.
Leong Wai Kit, News 5 Channel NewsAsia 26 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will be speaking at the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC in the United States on Singapore's efforts on nuclear security.

The Summit, proposed by US President Barack Obama in 2009, focuses on global efforts to deter nuclear terrorism and strengthen the international non-proliferation regime. Mr Lee, who is attending the summit on Mr Obama's invitation, is among leaders from more than 50 countries who will be participating.

The Prime Minister is set to outline possible collective action for the international community to strengthen the global nuclear security architecture at the Summit.

He had attended the last three Summits in 2010, held in Washington; 2012 in Seoul and 2014 in The Hague, Netherlands.

The upcoming summit is expected to be the last, and will be a follow up on discussions held at the last three summits.

Mr Lee will be in the United States from Mar 26 to Apr 1 on a working visit, and will meet Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen while in Washington DC. In New York City, he will meet with industry and financial sector leaders and attend a reception with Singaporeans residing in the city.

IMPORTANT TO HAVE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE: EXPERT

Although Singapore does not have significant nuclear material or facilities, it is a global trade hub and recognises that its economy and security can be affected by nuclear proliferation and nuclear terrorism.

Commenting on why it is important for Singapore to be involved in this Summit, Professor Tim White, Nanyang Technological University's Associate Chair (Research) at the School of Materials Science & Engineering, said Singapore needs to keep abreast of nuclear security developments in the world.

"It's not just about nuclear bombs. It's well beyond that," Prof White said. "There are problems with terrorism; we have to understand if somebody just found some radioactive material they can do something with it, which may not be particularly hazardous in its own right but would create alarm.

"For example if somebody got hold of strontium or caesium, which is highly radioactive material, and they simply dropped it in water, the dilution effect would minimise the hazard.

"But you can imagine the effect on the population knowing that the water had been contaminated, so there are a lot of permutations on what constitutes nuclear security and how to mitigate those risks."

Professor White added that it is very important for Singapore to be able to track and monitor nuclear material, and have the appropriate responses should anything happen.

- CNA/kk

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Inside Indonesia’s nuclear dream

Nuclear energy is on the cards for energy-hungry Indonesia. Channel NewsAsia gets a look inside the country’s nuclear research reactor and asks the experts if the country is ready for its own atomic power plant.
Samantha Yap Channel NewsAsia 16 Feb 16;

JAKARTA: Indonesia is on track for the construction of its first experimental nuclear power reactor in Serpong, Banten, near Jakarta, putting the country one step closer to building a fully operational nuclear power plant.

The people behind the reactor are aiming to meet President Joko Widodo’s goal of building new power stations to supply 35 gigawatts worth of power to meet the archipelago’s energy needs, but many in the country remain divided.

“In our opinion, like or dislike, nuclear must be included for the demand of electricity by 2025,” said Dr Taswanda Taryo, deputy chairman of Nuclear Energy Technology at the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN).

BATAN, which was established in 1958, has built and continues to operate three research reactors located in Serpong, Bandung and Yogyakarta. None of them produce electricity but BATAN is hoping they they will be part of Indonesia's energy mix by 2025.

Behind layers of security, Channel NewsAsia got an up-close look at the Serpong 30 megawatt G.A. Siwabessy research reactor. The research reactor is being used to produce radio isotopes to be used in agriculture and in the medical sector.

Indonesia’s nuclear scientists are brimming with confidence and say that with their decades of experience and expertise, Indonesia should be ready to build the 10 megawatt experimental power plant.

“We have research reactors, we have safety laboratories, we have the waste treatment centre and also we have the nuclear fuel centre here, so everything is complete,” said Dr Taryo

SAFETY AND SECURITY

But to turn the nuclear dream into reality, many have asked if Indonesia can implement appropriate safety and security measures.

That responsibility lies with Indonesia’s Nuclear Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN), which regulates and licenses nuclear applications. The agency is subject to review by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“Recently in August 2015, we had an integrated regulatory review service mission by the IAEA. They reviewed our capability and our readiness to license new nuclear power plants.

The conclusion is that we are ready,” said Professor Jazi Eko Istiyanto, BAPETEN’s chairman.

Dr Dohee Hahn, a director at IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Power said the IAEA does not certify any country as being fit or unfit for nuclear power, nor does it ascertain whether a nuclear power plant is being operated safely. Both are responsibilities of national regulators.

What the IAEA does prescribe for countries with nuclear ambitions is a Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation (NEPIO) to lead and manage efforts in developing nuclear power plant programmes.

Indonesia does not have an entity such as NEPIO, but BATAN is optimistic that it is well-equipped to build a nuclear power plant.

Associate Professor Sulfikar Amir from Nanyang Technological University’s Division of Sociology at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, said he is hesitant about Indonesia’s capability to build and operate a nuclear power plant.

“I think at the moment Indonesia should reconsider pursuing nuclear energy because of the lack of capacity in dealing with the risks,” said Prof Sulfikar, who has been observing Indonesia’s journey to attain nuclear power since 2008.

“Was Japan ready when they built Fukushima Daiichi in 1970s? Were they ready? Were the Japanese ready with what happened in 2011?” he asked, referring to the Fukushima nuclear crisis in the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

THE RING OF FIRE

Indonesia’s archipelago, which is made up of 17,000 islands – sits on the most active part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, and is consistently prone to earthquakes and tsunamis.

“Science tells us that nuclear is inherently dangerous, especially in a country like Indonesia,” said Mr Arif Fiyanto, head of the Climate and Energy Campaign at Greenpeace Indonesia.

Plans for a nuclear power plant to be built in Indonesia have prompted safety concerns across the ASEAN region.

Some of the proposed sites for Indonesia’s first nuclear power plant are located in the province of Bangka-Belitung, an island off Southeast Sumatera. BATAN’s feasibility studies found Muntok in West Bangka, and Permis in South Bangka, suitable for the construction of a nuclear power plant as well.

Said Dr Djarot Wisnubroto, the chairman at the nuclear agency: “Well, we say we live in the Ring of Fire. The fact is that some parts of Indonesia are not on the Ring of Fire. In Kalimantan, in Bangka and even near Singapore on Batam island. That side is a good and appropriate site for the nuclear power plant."

Other proposed sites include West and East Kalimantan. However, Mr Fiyanto believes places like Kalimantan are not immune to earthquakes.

“They use the argument that Kalimantan is safe from earthquakes and that it is not vulnerable to natural disasters. They keep using that argument, but a big earthquake hit East Kalimantan right on the proposed site of the nuclear power plant”, said Mr Fiyanto, referring to a 6.1-magnitude earthquake on Dec 21 last year.

“There is no valid argument to build a nuclear power plant in Indonesia. Nuclear is not safe, nuclear is not clean, nuclear is a false solution for climate change. And nuclear will not support us to achieve our energy sovereignty, so we don’t need nuclear, not at all,” argued Mr Fiyanto who has led the anti-nuclear campaign for Greenpeace Indonesia since 2008.

CAN INDONESIA HANDLE THE POWER?

While Indonesia is resource-rich, pro-nuclear voices say that renewable energy sources are not enough to meet the energy needs of its vast population.

“In our calculation, if we are including solar, and if we’re talking about geothermal, about coal and about micro-hydro power, and other energy sources, then there is still the lack of electricity,” said Dr. Taryo.

The conceptual design for the 10-megawatt experimental nuclear power plant has been completed by the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (ROSATOM), a nuclear power vendor.

If the green light is given by the Indonesian President, then vendors such as ROSATOM will get a shot at building the country’s nuclear power plants. ROSATOM have set up a regional office in Singapore with a focus on expanding in Southeast Asia.

Currently, there is no ASEAN country that has a fully operational nuclear power plant.

“If the political decision is made in Southeast Asia to go nuclear, (then they) are going to be the safest and the most advanced nuclear power plants available on the market today,” said Mr Egor Simonov, ROSATOM’s regional representative in Southeast Asia.

But the responsibility to maintain and operate the plant still lies with the respective countries.

“It is the total responsibility of the one who operates the plant to operate it safely. The licensee has to operate the plant safely and then the oversight is done by the regulator. So these are the structures that should be in place in every country that operates power plant,” said Ms Agneta Rising, director general of the World Nuclear Association.

In her assessment of the region, Ms Rising said Southeast Asia is ready to build nuclear power plants. With regard to Indonesia in particular, Ms Rising said: “For what I see and learn, Indonesia has a lot of competence in this area, a lot of experience and a lot of professionalism.”

Prof Istiyanto remains hopeful as well, saying he believes his country is ready despite detractors. “What’s left now is the president’s decision."

Channel NewsAsia’s Special Documentary, A Nuclear Affair, airs Feb16, 9.30pm (SG/HK) and 8.30pm (JKT), with an encore at 10.30am, Feb 17.

- CNA/kc

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Malaysia eyes nuclear power use by 2030

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

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Singapore must be prepared to handle nuclear developments: Experts

While Singapore has kept its own nuclear plans on the back-burner, authorities need to engage the public and educate them on nuclear developments in the region, experts say.
Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia 27 Sep 15;

SINGAPORE: As the region increasingly looks to nuclear power plants to solve its energy woes, experts say it is critical for Singapore to be adequately prepared.

While Singapore has kept its own nuclear plans on the back-burner, authorities need to engage the public and educate them on nuclear developments in the region.

For decades more than 30 countries have been generating power in some 400 nuclear plants. In 2012, about 10 per cent of the world's electricity was generated from nuclear energy, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute website.

But the shock of the Fukushima disaster in 2011 reverberated across the world and prompted countries with nuclear power to take stock of the safety of their plants.

Some European countries like Germany are taking their plants off the grid, instead importing nuclear-powered electricity from France. In Asia, plans have been delayed but not derailed. China and India, between them, have almost 50 nuclear plants in operation and are building even more.

In Southeast Asia, Vietnam could have its first power reactors by 2020. Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia have also made plans.

"Southeast Asia is quasi-completely dependent on fossil fuels,” said Professor Arnoud De Meyer, President of Singapore Management University. “There are a few exceptions of windmill-generated or other forms of energy but practically all electricity generation is based on fossil fuels, which makes this part of the world very dependent on supply from elsewhere."

Nuclear-based energy can add security and stability to the region's source of energy. For Singapore, 95 per cent of its electricity comes from natural gas powered plants. Its cost is tied to oil prices.

CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE?

Experts say Singapore's choice, although the cleanest among fossil fuels, is also an expensive choice. In homes for example, the cost of electricity is currently 22.41 cents per kilowatt-hour. But this could be three to five times higher than what homeowners pay in the United States. This is because the cost associated with importing natural gas to run Singapore’s power plants is also higher.

Electricity could be cheaper if nuclear-generated energy was added to the mix. Cost savings aside, the region is also under pressure to take stock of its carbon emission levels amidst rapid development.

In recent years, Singapore has been ramping up infrastructure to capitalise on solar energy, but experts say the country's size limits how much electricity it can derive from solar power. Clean energy from nuclear plants could be an answer.

Inside a nuclear reactor's pressurised vessel are metal rods containing uranium pellets. Thermal neutrons split uranium atoms in a process called fission reaction.

This process releases energy and more neutrons which in the presence of water are absorbed by other uranium atoms, causing them to split and resulting in more energy being released.

The energy, or radiation, is used to heat up water to produce steam. The steam drives turbines which generate electricity. The steam is then converted back to water for the next cycle.

Through this process, nuclear powered plants release no carbon emissions into the atmosphere. What is usually seen coming out of towers at nuclear plants is water vapour - a by-product of cooling heated water.

Radioactive waste that is produced in the first part of the process is typically buried deep underground.

Unlike nuclear-powered plants, coal-powered plants release massive amounts of greenhouse gases when generating electricity. Natural gas may be the cleanest of all fossil fuels, but plants running on this still release half the amount of carbon dioxide that coal plants emit.

SIZE MATTERS

In 2010, Singapore embarked on an extensive study of whether nuclear-based electricity could be added to its energy mix. Two years later, it concluded that nuclear risks for Singapore outweighed the benefits.

"It was all to do with size,” said Professor Tim White, co-director of Nanyang Technological University’s Energy Research Institute.

“The first factor was that we did not really need a very large single nuclear reactor. Singapore just does not have that need for energy. So we would have had to look at modular designs, but none of those designs are actually operating at the moment - at least for power. So Singapore did not want to be the first one off the rack to take these new designs.

“The other concern was that after Fukushima, it was realised that the exclusion zone around the reactor was in fact as large as Singapore. So that meant one Fukushima accident in Singapore and that’s the end of the country. Those combined factors meant that the time was not right. And I think that was certainly the correct decision."

BUILDING SINGAPORE’S NUCLEAR KNOWLEDGE

But the study also concluded that Singapore needs to build up its nuclear knowledge and capability. In 2014, the government announced it would set aside S$63 million over five years for the Nuclear Safety Research and Education Programme.

The programme would train local scientists and engineers in three key areas - radiochemistry, radiobiology and risk assessment. The programme is being rolled out by the National Research Foundation.

"Even if Singapore would never have electricity generation by nuclear sources, countries around us will do it, or may well do it,” said Prof De Meyer. “But nuclear radiation is not something that stops at borders. If there is an accident or a problem, Singapore will be automatically influenced by it.

“On top of that, nuclear sources of radiation not exclusively used for power generation. We see it in nuclear medicine. We see it in some measurement instruments. Radiation is with us today.

"From that perspective, it's logical that a country like Singapore prepares itself for measuring nuclear radiation in atmosphere, understands what the impact of nuclear radiation is - even if it is low levels on our bodies and on people - and simulates to figure out what if there is a disaster."

REGIONAL COLLABORATION

This building up of expertise could well take 15 years. Experts like Prof White and Prof De Meyer are certain the topic of nuclear energy will be revisited and say future options could also include regional collaboration, similar to what Europe is doing.

In this case, Singapore could obtain nuclear-based energy from other Southeast Asian countries.

But first, one expert says ASEAN needs a regulatory framework to address transboundary issues such as the management of nuclear fuel, waste and risk management.

And locally, it is more important than ever for authorities to engage the public on nuclear-related developments and concerns, whether or not Singapore ever hosts nuclear power plants.

“If something happens, for example, in Indonesia's nuclear facility, which will be built very close to Singapore, it will affect the whole country,” said Associate Professor Sulfikar Amir from NTU’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“The people need to know what kind of risk they are facing if something were to happen, if a Fukushima-like nuclear disaster were to happen in a Southeast Asian country. They need to understand the kind of risk they are dealing with. It is part of disaster resilience that needs to be built in Singapore.”

Professor Amir says this can start by involving schools to create an awareness at an early age and by having more open public discussions at a grassroots level.

- CNA/ec

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Singapore opts for cleaner energy sources

Mr Nur Azha Putra of NUS says the increasing use of natural gas bodes well for Singapore.
Audrey Tan THE STRAITS TIMES AsiaOne 21 Jul 15;

Singapore is weaning itself off petroleum products.

In the past decade, the Republic has adopted cleaner energy sources to fuel electricity demand, moving away from petroleum products such as diesel and fuel oil to the more environmentally-friendly fossil fuel alternative: natural gas.

Natural gas now makes up 95.5 per cent of Singapore's fuel mix, up from 74.4 per cent in 2005, according to the latest statistics from the Energy Market Authority (EMA).

Petroleum products' share this year has been whittled to 0.7 per cent, down from 23.1 per cent in 2005. This will put Singapore in a better position to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, experts say.

"The increasing use of natural gas bodes well for Singapore, given its United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) commitment to reduce carbon emissions," said Mr Nur Azha Putra, research associate at National University of Singapore's Energy Studies Institute.

Natural gas emits about 35 per cent less carbon dioxide than the petroleum-based oil that Singapore was using, and it does not emit polluting particulates and sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere, said Mr Joe Eades, the deputy chairman of The Institution of Engineers, Singapore chemical and process engineering technical committee.

Singapore has pledged that its greenhouse gas emissions will peak around 2030 at the equivalent of about 65 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, even if the economy continues to grow.

It will also be greener economically - reducing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted to achieve each dollar of gross domestic product by more than a third.

The targets were submitted earlier this month to the UNFCCC, which sets a framework for intergovernmental efforts to tackle climate change.

Internationally, countries are trying to diversify. China, for instance, is striving to cut the share of petroleum products and coal in its fuel mix, noted Professor Subodh Mhaisalkar, executive director of Nanyang Technological University's Energy Research Institute.

Coal and petroleum products constituted 90 per cent of China's fuel mix in 2003, but this was reduced to 80 per cent in 2010 and is expected to drop to 72 per cent by 2020, he said.



Singapore opted early to switch and power the country with natural gas. Said Professor Subodh: "This way, Singaporeans can enjoy clean and healthy air even as the economy develops and meets the needs of a growing population."

Singapore's new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on Jurong Island, which started operating in 2013, will ensure the Republic can import gas from more countries so that it remains energy secure.

Mr Nur Azha said: "With the completion of the liquefied natural gas terminal, Singapore will be able to diversify its energy supply portfolio and be less reliant on piped natural gas imports from Indonesia and Malaysia."

The latest EMA figures also show that other energy sources - such as solar power and converting waste into energy - are contributing more to Singapore's fuel mix, although they still make up only a small portion of the mix - 3.7 per cent this year, up from 2.4 per cent in 2005.

But experts and industry players are hopeful that this figure will increase, largely due to the SolarNova initiative that encourages government agencies to come together to use solar power.

Mr Eades said SolarNova could meet about 5 per cent of Singapore's energy demand by 2020.

This could complement other forms of renewable energy, such as generating electricity through waste incineration, said Mr Christophe Inglin, vice-chairman of the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore and managing director of solar firm Phoenix Solar.

Singapore has already harvested the low-hanging fruits - replacing almost all its oil-fired electricity generation with gas-fired generation, he pointed out.

"Nuclear plants are too controversial, so that leaves renewable energy sources like biogas, waste incineration and solar photovoltaic as main options for reducing our carbon footprint," he said.

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Renewables outpace nuclear in economies making up 45 percent of world population: report

Aaron Sheldrick PlanetArk 15 Jul 15;

Solar, wind and other forms of renewable energy besides hydro-electric dams now supply more electricity than nuclear in Japan, China, India and five other major economies accounting for about half the world's population, an atomic industry report shows.

While nuclear stations on average produce about twice as much electricity as renewables annually for every kilowatt installed, the high growth of solar, wind and other renewables means atomic power is fast being eclipsed as nations turn away from the energy source after the Fukushima disaster in Japan.

This is one of the main observations of the World Nuclear Industry Status Report 2015, a draft copy of which was given to Reuters before the release of the document at 0900 GMT in the House of Commons in London.

Nuclear power generation increased by 2.2 percent globally in 2014, even with the first extended shutdown of Japan's atomic industry for 45 years, but with solar power increasing 38 percent and wind power up by a tenth, energy from the sun, wind and other renewable sources is outpacing that from the atom.

Rising costs, construction delays, public opposition and aging fleets of reactors are hurting the chances of nuclear while falling costs, greater efficiency and better management of fluctuating renewable supplies, along with improved storage, are changing the face of energy production globally.

"The impressively resilient hopes that many people still have of a global nuclear renaissance are being trumped by a real?time revolution in efficiency?plus?renewables?plus?storage, delivering more and more solutions on the ground every year," Jonathon Porritt, co-founder and trustee of the Forum for the Future, wrote in a foreword to the report.

Almost half of all added electricity generating capacity in 2014 was from renewables, excluding large hydro-dams, the report said.

In output terms, China, Japan and India, which are three of the world's four largest economies, along with Brazil, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands and Spain now generate more electricity from non-hydro renewables than nuclear, it said.

In Britain, output from renewables, including hydro, surpassed atomic generation "for the first time in decades", while in the United States the share of renewables was 13 percent, up from 8.5 percent in 2007.

Discounting Japan's moribund industry due to its long-term outage, the report said the world's operating units numbered 391 in 2014, up three from a year earlier, and 47 less than a 2002 peak.

The report's lead authors are industry analysts Mycle Schneider, based in Paris, and London-based Antony Froggatt. Both have advised European government bodies on energy and nuclear policy.

(Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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