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SINGAPORE has inked a 30-year civil nuclear cooperation deal with the US – a move that will give the city-state access to the superpower’s nuclear expertise and technical information that is under export control.

This comes as the Republic explores the possibility of tapping advanced nuclear technologies for clean and reliable energy – although it has not yet decided whether to adopt nuclear energy.

The deal, known as the 123 Agreement, was signed by Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday (Jul 31), at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ premises.

Blinken is in Singapore for an official visit, as part of a six-country tour of Asia that includes Laos, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

The US and Singapore intend to cooperate on better understanding advanced nuclear technologies, including small modular reactors (SMRs), and how they “can potentially support climate goals, while balancing critical energy needs”, both countries said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

“This will support Singapore’s efforts to understand and evaluate advanced nuclear energy technologies, should viable options emerge,” the statement added, noting that both countries have a “long-standing” civil nuclear collaboration.

The agreement is expected to come into force by the end of this year after a review by the US Congress, and will last for 30 years.

Singapore will also join a US Department of State programme that helps countries build advanced nuclear capabilities safely, known as the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (First) programme.

Under Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act, a nuclear cooperation agreement is required for the US to make significant transfers of nuclear material or equipment to other countries.

The US already has 123 Agreements with 24 countries and partners which are in force as at July. They include the Philippines – which signed the deal last year – Indonesia and Vietnam. Other Asian signatories of the deal include China, India, Japan and South Korea.

With the 123 Agreement, Singapore can better understand advanced reactor designs and commercial developments. SMRs in particular could be a game-changer for the land-constrained country, as such reactors could potentially be as small as a quarter of a football pitch.

Nuclear power, which does not produce direct carbon emissions, could also help Singapore achieve its target of hitting net-zero emissions by 2050.

The country currently relies on natural gas for about 94 per cent of its fuel mix. But nuclear power could supply about 10 per cent of its needs by 2050, a 2022 report commissioned by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) found.

The deal would further facilitate knowledge transfer, training programmes, and technical assistance, allowing academics, businesses and government entities to collaborate.

It would also allow Singapore to deepen its participation in regional and international cooperation on nuclear safety.

Renewed interest

Singapore’s signing of the agreement comes amid renewed interest in nuclear power throughout South-east Asia.

Back in 2012, a nuclear pre-feasibility study by Singapore found that the nuclear energy technologies available then were not suitable for country yet, with the risks still outweighing the benefits.

But a decade on, the 2022 EMA report noted that recent advancements in nuclear technology have made it more safe and reliable. It recommended tracking developments not just in SMRs, but also in fusion reactors.

Nuclear fusion is an even more nascent technology, where instead of splitting uranium, nuclear power is generated from the fusion of hydrogen, mimicking how the sun produces energy. Unlike fission reactors, fusion technologies could still be decades away.

Deciding whether to deploy nuclear power “will require detailed studies of the safety, reliability, affordability, and environmental sustainability of nuclear energy in our local context,” the government said in a factsheet on Wednesday.

In the meantime, Singapore continues to deepen its research into advanced nuclear technologies. A new multimillion-dollar research building at the National University of Singapore, for instance, is set to support about 100 nuclear researchers.

Separately, Nanyang Technological University last year set up a research centre for nuclear fusion with France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, called the Singapore Alliance with France for Fusion Energy.

The city-state also aims to train at least 100 experts on nuclear safety in the medium to long term, Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng said last year.

In joining the US’ First programme, Singapore will gain access to the network of US entities involved in civilian nuclear energy, including the US National Laboratories and companies developing newer nuclear energy technologies.

The US had already been supporting Singapore’s efforts to understand advanced nuclear energy technologies. For instance, since 2017, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and Singapore’s National Environment Agency have collaborated on nuclear safety matters and held a joint workshop in July.

Other countries in the First programme include The Philippines, Indonesia, Japan and Estonia.