Preparing for nuclear energy deployment requires more than technological advancement. Countries must also develop the regulatory expertise, safety frameworks, secure fuel supply chains and financing mechanisms needed to support long-term nuclear programmes.
At SIEW Thinktank Roundtable D Session 2, experts from Singapore, Finland, France, the UK and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) discussed the practical foundations of nuclear readiness. Moderated by Tom Cross, APNA Technical Director Nuclear, Mott MacDonald, the panel session examined how institutional preparedness, international cooperation and early planning can support informed decisions on nuclear energy.
Building institutional and technical capabilities
Low Xin Wei, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute, highlighted the importance of developing independent technical expertise and strengthening coordination among national institutions.
While Singapore has yet to decide on nuclear energy deployment, Mr Low emphasised that capability-building must begin well in advance. Rather than relying solely on imported technologies and expertise, countries need the technical capabilities to critically evaluate emerging reactor designs and assess their suitability for local conditions.
He also stressed the importance of coordinated learning across government agencies, prospective regulators and operators, while ensuring that each develops independent technical expertise. This would help countries establish regulatory frameworks and operational requirements that are aligned from the outset.
Drawing on Finland's experience, Jani Halinen, Vice President, Nuclear Energy, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, similarly underscored the need for countries to maintain domestic capabilities in nuclear regulation, technical assessments and emergency preparedness.
International partnerships can provide access to specialised expertise but must be complemented by sustained investment in national capabilities and long-term policy continuity. Mr Halinen cited Finland's spent nuclear fuel disposal programme as an example of how policy continuity over several decades can support the development of complex nuclear infrastructure.
Strengthening nuclear safety through research and cooperation
Olivier Marchand, Deputy Director, Nuclear Safety Research, French Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR), emphasised that the potential safety benefits of advanced nuclear technologies must be supported by scientific evidence.
He highlighted the importance of sustained safety research, experimental capabilities and validated simulation tools in assessing emerging reactor designs. With new reactor configurations, fuels and operating conditions potentially introducing different safety challenges, existing knowledge from conventional nuclear plants cannot simply be extrapolated to newer technologies.
Mr Marchand emphasised that experimental data are necessary to validate simulation models, quantify uncertainties and assess safety margins. Countries should therefore develop domestic research expertise while drawing on international experimental facilities and research partnerships, rather than attempting to establish every capability independently.
Securing long-term nuclear fuel supplies
Beyond institutional and safety considerations, the panel examined the importance of securing reliable nuclear fuel supplies.
Joseph Priestley, Head of UK Government Affairs, Urenco, identified uranium conversion capacity as a key bottleneck in the global nuclear fuel supply chain, alongside potential constraints in uranium mining. He shared that Urenco is expanding enrichment capacity across its international facilities to meet growing customer demand and respond to evolving supply arrangements.
With nuclear fuel contracts often spanning 10 to 15 years, Mr Priestley emphasised that countries considering nuclear deployment should engage suppliers early. Planning must account for the entire fuel supply chain, from uranium mining and conversion to enrichment and fuel fabrication. Greater visibility over long-term demand, supported by policy certainty, would help encourage investment in the fuel supply capacity needed to support future nuclear programmes.
Managing financial risks to enable investment
Financing is another critical consideration, given the long development timelines and range of risks associated with nuclear projects.
Timothy Histed, Acting Head of East Asia Pacific, MIGA, outlined the World Bank Group's renewed engagement with nuclear financing. He clarified that the Group's approach is to assess whether nuclear energy is appropriate for individual countries' development and energy needs.
Such assessments would consider financial affordability, institutional capabilities, safety and non-proliferation requirements, and whether national electricity grids can accommodate nuclear generation.
Potential support could span three areas: strategy and advisory services to assess nuclear readiness; institutional capacity-building, including regulatory reforms; and selective financing instruments. These could include investment guarantees to help mobilise private-sector capital where appropriate.
Mr Halinen added that improving project viability requires effective risk allocation and greater policy certainty. Rather than relying on financing mechanisms alone to lower costs, countries should focus on reducing regulatory, technological, project and market risks, before allocating the remaining risks appropriately among stakeholders.
Mr Low also cautioned that the final costs of small modular reactors remain uncertain, particularly where local safety and security requirements may necessitate modifications to standard reactor designs.
Preparing today for informed decisions tomorrow
The discussion highlighted that nuclear readiness extends well beyond reactor selection and technological feasibility. Developing independent expertise, strengthening safety research, securing long-term fuel supplies and establishing viable financing arrangements all require early and sustained preparation.
For Singapore and other countries exploring nuclear energy, these foundations will be important in assessing whether and how nuclear power could contribute to future energy security and decarbonisation objectives.
