Today, nuclear power is largely absent from Southeast Asia's energy mix. But by 2050, the region could have more than 37 GW of it, according to World Nuclear Association (WNA).

Electricity demand is surging, driven by economic growth, data centres and cooling needs. Reliance on imported fuels leaves the region exposed to supply disruptions and price shocks. And the pressure to decarbonise is only growing. Nuclear energy is one answer. Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand have already announced targets.

Few regions will be better poised to succeed with nuclear than Southeast Asia, says Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, WNA. She explains why, pointing to the region's industrial strength and track record of delivering large infrastructure projects. To make the most of this, she sees value in planning nuclear as a national or even regional programme, rather than as individual projects. She also discusses how nuclear can strengthen increasingly connected energy systems, in ways that go beyond supplying electricity. Watch the interview here:

About Dr Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association (WNA)

Dr Sama Bilbao y León is Director General of World Nuclear Association (WNA), the international organisation representing the global nuclear industry. She leads a team of experts, analysts and communicators working to enable the growth of the sector. The team connects players across the nuclear value chain, shapes and represents the industry's position in major world forums. WNA also provides authoritative information and influences key audiences, organisations and the media. Dr Bilbao y León is also President of World Nuclear University, which is dedicated to inspiring and developing future leaders in the field.

Dr Bilbao y León has more than 20 years of experience in nuclear engineering and energy policy. Her career spans industry, academia and international organisations. In industry, she was a Nuclear Safety Analysis Engineer at Dominion Energy in the US. In academia, she was Director of Nuclear Engineering Programs and Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Her past international roles include Head of the Division of Nuclear Technology Development and Economics at the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency, Head of the Technical Secretariat for the Generation IV International Forum, and Head of the Water Cooled Reactors Technology Development Unit at the International Atomic Energy Agency. Her areas of expertise are nuclear thermal-hydraulics for light water and sodium-cooled reactors, nuclear reactor design, nuclear safety, energy and environmental policy, and complex decision-making. She is also one of the seven founders of the North American Young Generation in Nuclear.

Dr Bilbao y León holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and a master's degree in Energy Technologies from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, a master's degree and a PhD in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and an MBA from Averett University. She is originally from Spain.