NEA and UK nuclear regulators agree to exchange safety expertise, part of Singapore’s broad nuclear power strategy
Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) and the United Kingdom’s (UK) Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for nuclear safety regulation cooperation.
The agreement, signed on Monday (1 June), will allow the ONR to exchange information and expertise on nuclear safety with the NEA.
Source: SpaceManKris on Canva, for illustration purposes only
Furthermore, the MOU includes the training of scientific and technical personnel.
“It supports Singapore’s overarching effort to build capabilities in nuclear safety, and to study the feasibility of the safe deployment of nuclear energy in Singapore,” NEA said, in a statement released the following day.
Ms Koh Li-Na, deputy chief executive officer of meteorological services and radiation protection at NEA, inked the agreement with Mr Paul Dicks, the UK’s director of regulation of new reactors.
Singapore government yet to decide on deployment of nuclear energy
The ONR, which oversees nuclear safety in the UK, is among the first regulators worldwide to review the safety of small modular reactors (SMRs).
In the Budget 2025 statement last February, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong pointed to advancements in safer SMRs as making nuclear energy more feasible in Singapore.
The Singapore government has yet to make a decision on adopting nuclear energy.
Image courtesy of MDDI
Nonetheless, the MOU signed with the ONR is part of an ongoing series of agreements made to enhance nuclear expertise.
International experts to assess Singapore’s readiness in 2027
On 17 April, NEA signed a training deal with the United States’ Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). NEA officers will undergo specialised training programmes with the NRC.
Image courtesy of NEA
Singapore is also working with nuclear regulators in France and Finland as part of its broad strategy.
Last month, the Energy Market Authority announced that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will evaluate Singapore’s readiness for nuclear energy deployment in 2027.
Also read: NEA signs deal with US nuclear regulator to train safety experts as S’pore studies nuclear energy
NEA signs deal with US nuclear regulator to train safety experts as S’pore studies nuclear energy
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Featured image adapted from SpaceManKris on Canva and National Environment Agency (NEA), for illustration purposes only.
