Singapore signs agreement with US to deepen nuclear cooperation

Singapore and the United States on July 31 inked a 30-year agreement that will allow the Republic to learn more about the latest nuclear technologies and scientific research from American organisations.

- Cheryl Tan and Shabana Begum

The move will help Singapore make a more informed decision on nuclear power as a clean energy source, said the authorities, who stressed that no decision has been made on deploying nuclear energy.

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan signed the 123 Agreement on Nuclear Cooperation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited Singapore from July 30 to July 31 as part of an 11-day visit to South-east Asia.

"Current conventional nuclear technologies are not suitable for Singapore. But given advances in civil nuclear technology, we need to stay abreast of breakthroughs in this rapidly evolving field," said Dr Balakrishnan during the signing.

"The Agreement facilitates access to information, technological expertise, and allows us to deepen our engagements with civil nuclear experts in the US," he added.

The US has 24 such agreements in force that govern peaceful nuclear cooperation with countries or entities. They are allowed to receive "significant transfers of nuclear material or equipment" from the US.

US firms are generally not authorised to export equipment and materials without a bilateral agreement in force, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute, a trade association based in the US.

In a statement on July 31, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said any decision to deploy nuclear energy in Singapore will require "detailed studies of the safety, reliability, affordability and environmental sustainability of nuclear energy in our local context".