Nuclear in the frame as Asia reels from energy shock
The disruption to normal supplies of oil and gas from the Middle East has prompted numerous countries in Asia to look at civil nuclear power with renewed intent – part of the so-called ‘global nuclear renaissance’.
A recent survey by the World Nuclear Association (WNA) of nuclear energy growth in Asia suggests countries with current nuclear generating capacity are closely studying how to increase their output, while those without that capacity are investigating how to join the family of nations already using or planning to use nuclear energy.
Ironically, the economic costs of not embracing nuclear and renewables, a regular talking point among global players at the biennial WNE event in Paris, are being put in perspective by the real economic costs of major fossil fuel shocks, like the one currently being felt around the world.
“Countries have imposed austerity measures, tried to cushion the blow with subsidies, shortened workweeks, and, in the Philippines, declared a national emergency,” writes Joshua Kurlantzick, senior fellow for Southeast Asia and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations.
In Japan and South Korea, which have 59 operable reactors between them, the crisis has prompted an acceleration of the debate about expanding the use of nuclear power.
Japan’s leadership has made nuclear energy central to its policy agenda, despite lingering public concern from the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The Iran war has only accelerated Tokyo’s plans to reopen nuclear plants and build new ones.
The world as a whole is belatedly waking up to the importance of nuclear power in the overall energy mix. After more than two decades of stagnation, the capacity of the global nuclear fleet is expected to increase by one-third by 2035.
That’s the projection of the latest World Energy Outlook from the International Energy Agency (IEA) based on existing energy policies and the expectation of “a record high in nuclear power output” in 2025.
"Technology advances… are improving the outlook for nuclear power,” says the report. “As demand surges and the need for reliable, low-emission baseload electricity increases, nuclear is increasingly seen as a critical part of a secure, affordable and diverse electricity mix."
It’s a welcome reversal in fortune for the nuclear industry, which had “suffered some decline and stagnation” from the late 1970s to early 2000s, although its share of world electricity generation remained at 16-17 per cent.
Now, with the very public support for nuclear by the current US administration, the French government’s new multiyear energy programme (PPE) putting renewed focus on nuclear, and other countries looking into it, the nuclear industry appears to be gaining momentum. This point was not lost on the international visitors, delegates and exhibitors who attended the 2025 edition of the World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) in record numbers and contributed to the buzz in the exhibition hall and conference rooms.
WNE 2023_© Collectif Favart
In Taiwan, the debate centres on restarting reactors shut down as recently as last year. The island’s state-owned power company, Taipower, has submitted a proposal to restart the Maanshan nuclear power plant which housed Taiwan's last working reactor until it was decommissioned in 2025.
Elsewhere across Asia-Pacific, nuclear energy is on the agenda in some form – provisional plans, commitment pending or deferred – in Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
UK-based knowledge hub Explore Nuclear says nuclear plays a “complex and evolving” role in Asia’s energy landscape. Several countries view it as a “strategic solution” for energy security and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission control. In Southeast Asia, nations such as Vietnam and Indonesia have explored nuclear energy but face challenges such as financing, safety concerns, and public opinion. Smaller economies remain hesitant due to infrastructure and regulatory hurdles.
Asia, it says, “stands at a crossroads where energy demand, environmental priorities, and geopolitical considerations intersect. Nuclear power offers a promising pathway toward a more sustainable and stable energy future in the region.”
The WNA says the long-term trend to urbanisation in less-developed countries will greatly increase the demand for electricity, and especially that supplied by base-load plants such as nuclear. “The pattern of energy demand in these countries will become more like that of Europe, North America and Japan,” it says.
In the Philippines, which has been forced to declare a national energy emergency, the Iran war was “providing a needed push for nuclear,”in the words of a Philippines Nuclear Research Institute spokesperson. Now authorities are looking into reviving a nuclear plant at Bataan built in the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis but was never commissioned, or constructing a small modular reactor (SMR). Either way, it aims to have a nuclear power plant operational by 2032.
Vietnam has rekindled interest in nuclear and signed a deal for two reactors to balance the surging demand for power from its industrial sector and expanding middle class consumer base. Reuters says work on nuclear power plants had been started in 2010 but halted over safety and budget concerns. As part of its renewed nuclear energy ambitions, Vietnam has also explored the possibilities offered by SMRs.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, is nearing a milestone on its nuclear journey, with fuel-loading of the first unit of its Rooppur nuclear plant set to begin at the end of April. The project is expected to start generating power within three months, reaching full capacity in 10-11 months. The plant will eventually generate 10% of national electricity demand, after its second unit is commissioned.
Populous Indonesia has been studying the adoption of nuclear power generation for decades, even looking into floating nuclear power plants. It faces unique challenges to supplying reliable electricity to its population of 283 million spread across an island landscape of 1.9 million square kilometres. It has agreements with several nuclear exporters, including Japan, China, South Korea, Denmark, and the USA, covering cooperation and development to reach its ambition of generating 12% of its national energy requirement by 2060.
Even in Australia, where anti-nuclear sentiment has been reinforced by law for decades, public and government perceptions are slowly changing as the country grapples with the challenges of generating clean, reliable energy. Proponents argue that “nuclear makes sense” for Australia; opponents say the case for nuclear remains unclear. Meanwhile, “time is running out for the energy transition.”
The nuclear industry acknowledges many stumbling blocks remain for countries seeking to harness nuclear power, whatever the size of their economies. The wider industry will be looking to provide answers when the World Nuclear Exhibition – ‘the world’s leading B2B business platform for the civil nuclear ecosystem’ – reconvenes in Paris in 2027.
At the WNE 2023 conference, Emilie Sauchay, HR Manager of Ineo Nucléaire, discussed their strategic workforce planning for 2022 and 2023. She noted the recruitment of skilled workers as a significant factor but emphasised the necessity of making training programs available for professionals outside of the industry.
“For me, the most important one is to be able to train people in our professions, to be able to attract employees who are not currently in the sector but who would like to join this dynamic sector,” Emilie Sauchay stated. She also added that to support the growth of their workforce, Ineo Nucléaire developed training academies and a network of training centres.