Beyond technology, nuclear energy deployment demands sustained commitment and innovative financing. At the second session of the Singapore–U.S. Forum, panellists outlined the practical groundwork needed to operationalise civil nuclear programmes.
Moderated by Audrey Tan, Assistant News Editor at The Straits Times, the panel brought together voices from reactor developers, research institutions, industry associations, and policy experts to discuss regulatory frameworks, workforce pipelines, financial instruments, and regional cooperation essential for nuclear deployment.
Dr Jennifer Gordon, Director of the Nuclear Energy Policy Initiative and Daniel B. Poneman Chair for Nuclear Energy Policy, Global Energy Center, Atlantic Council, highlighted that energy security, decarbonisation, and surging energy demand are driving renewed global interest in nuclear power.
On financing, she pointed to tools including cost overrun insurance, loan guarantees, and public-private partnerships as mechanisms for sharing risk between government and industry.
Enabling policies and regulatory clarity are critical
Miriam D'Onofrio, Senior Director of International Market Development and Policy at X-energy, shared that companies evaluating new markets seek three critical elements: policy clarity on energy needs and deployment parameters, policy continuity across political cycles, and policy commitment for multi-decade projects.
She emphasised that, for long-term nuclear infrastructure investments to work, governments need to remove uncertainties and maintain consistent enabling policies.
Touching on this topic, Marc Nichol, Executive Director of New Nuclear at the Nuclear Energy Institute, explained that countries without existing nuclear frameworks have the advantage in designing modern, fit-for-purpose regulations. He called for technology-inclusive, performance-based, and risk-informed regulatory approaches that reflect the enhanced safety of advanced reactors.
Kieran Furlong, CEO and Co-Founder of Realta Fusion, advocated for regional harmonisation of fusion regulations across to provide regulatory certainty, while noting that fusion energy requires distinct regulatory treatment from fission reactors. He observed that the U.S., U.K., and Japan have recognised that fusion should be regulated similarly to particle accelerators rather than traditional nuclear plants.
Dr Jess C. Gehin, Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science and Technology at Idaho National Laboratory, outlined how research institutions build the scientific foundation that underpins both industry confidence and regulatory decision-making. He shared that the first advanced reactors will begin testing at Idaho National Laboratory next year, generating data that will inform not only U.S. regulators but also collaboration with international partners like the Energy Market Authority of Singapore.
In his closing remarks, Ambassador Brian D. McFeeters, President and CEO of the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, highlighted that ASEAN member states are genuinely ready to embark on nuclear energy, a shift from even three years ago. He noted that these nations may actually have a regulatory advantage, by adopting simpler, modern frameworks being developed in the U.S. rather than dealing with legacy complexities.
Stay tuned as the conversation evolves throughout the day. Follow @SIEW_sg on Telegram and X (formerly Twitter) for the latest insights.