Across ASEAN, governments are pursuing increasingly ambitious decarbonisation targets while facing rapid growth in electricity demand – driven by industrialisation, urbanisation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data centres – with regional studies projected that electricity demand could nearly triple by 2050.

At the same time, many economies in the region continue to rely heavily on fossil fuels to power growth, creating a growing challenge as countries seek to reduce emissions without compromising energy security or economic development. This has renewed interest in nuclear energy as a source of low-carbon, round-the-clock electricity that can help stabilise increasingly complex energy systems.

The conversation is no longer centered on whether renewables are necessary, but whether a broader mix of technologies is needed to deliver affordability, reliability and sustainability simultaneously. This shift was evident at The Energy Transition Conference 2026 (ETCon26), where policymakers, industry leaders, and nuclear experts gathered for a dedicated dialogue on ASEAN’s Net Zero Pathway via Nuclear, reflecting growing regional interest in the technology and its potential role in supporting long-term energy security.

Malaysia is also taking steps to better understand the technology’s potential role in its future energy mix

As the regional conversation around nuclear continues to evolve, Malaysia is also taking steps to better understand the technology’s potential role in its future energy mix, while strengthening the institutional, technical, and regulatory foundations needed for informed decision-making.

Laying the groundwork for a nuclear future

Malaysia continues to evaluate the potential role of nuclear energy as part of its long-term energy planning, with current efforts centred on studies and capability development. As these discussions progress, greater attention is also being given to topics such as safety, waste management, and long-term reliability, supported by ongoing technological advancements and international experience.

At ETCon26, the panelists of industry players highlighted the challenge of balancing rapidly rising electricity demand with Malaysia’s National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR)’s target of achieving 70% renewable energy capacity by 2050.

This places greater emphasis on maintaining system reliability as renewable energy capacity expands, and coal-fired generation is progressively phased out. Utility operators across the nation are expected to play a key role in supporting this transition, drawing on their experiences in generation planning, grid operations, and system integration as Malaysia evaluates future energy options, including nuclear.

Malaysia is not starting from scratch. As the country’s lead nuclear research institution, Agensi Nuklear Malaysia (ANM) has played a central role in advancing nuclear science and technology through research, technical expertise, human capital development, and the operation of the nation’s only nuclear research reactor, the TRIGA PUSPATI Reactor (RTP). Although the reactor is dedicated to research rather than electricity generation, it has helped establish the technical knowledge, safety culture, and institutional capabilities that underpin any future nuclear energy programme.

With preparatory work already underway across multiple fronts, Malaysia is no longer at the stage of merely exploring the idea of nuclear energy. Instead, the country is actively laying the foundations needed to determine whether nuclear can be deployed safely, responsibly, and effectively as part of its future energy mix.

A new generation of nuclear technology is changing the conversation

While nuclear energy has long been associated with debates over safety and waste management, advances in technology are reshaping how governments approach the sector. Emerging technologies such as small modular reactors (SMRs) are designed to be smaller, more flexible and easier to deploy than conventional nuclear power plants. Combined with improvements in safety systems and operational design, these developments are helping to lower barriers for countries exploring nuclear energy for the first time.

Furthermore, according to the World Nuclear Association, around 97% of radioactive waste generated by the nuclear industry is classified as low or intermediate level waste, while only about 3% is high-level waste, albeit accounting for the vast majority of radioactivity. Several countries, including Finland, are now commissioning deep geological repositories designed to safely isolate spent nuclear fuel hundreds of metres underground for the very long term.

Although waste management remains a critical responsibility for any nuclear programme, decades of international experience have demonstrated that it is a technically manageable challenge when supported by robust regulation and long-term governance.

As these technologies and engineering standards continue to mature, they are helping broaden the nuclear conversation across ASEAN, where governments are exploring a wider range of options to support long-term energy security and net-zero goals. Reflecting on Indonesia’s own nuclear journey at ETCon26, PT Xpert Synergy Solution CEO Bob Soelaiman Effendi described nuclear as a “practical solution” for countries seeking to balance economic growth, energy security and decarbonisation objectives simultaneously.

Rather than evaluating the technology through the lens of the past, policymakers are increasingly assessing how next-generation nuclear solutions could support future energy landscape that continues to become more complex.

ASEAN’s nuclear momentum is building

The energy transition was once framed as a competition between technologies. Increasingly, it is becoming a question of how multiple technologies can work together. Indonesia, for example, has plans to commission its first nuclear power plant between 2032 and 2034 and a long-term target of up to 55 GW of nuclear capacity by 2060.

Mr. Bob Soelaiman noted that Indonesia’s decision was informed by national energy modelling, which found that even under aggressive renewable energy deployment scenarios, additional firm low-carbon generation would still be required to support long-term economic growth and net-zero ambitions.

Vietnam is emerging as one of Southeast Asia’s most aggressive adopters of renewable energy, with its first nuclear plants to come online between 2030 and 2035. The country’s inclusion of nuclear power in its latest national power development plan signals a growing recognition of its potential role alongside renewable energy in supporting long-term energy security. The Philippines is also aiming to gradually phase in nuclear power as part of its energy mix, starting with a target of 1,200 megawatts (MW) of capacity in 2032, that it plans to meet via SMR technology.

For Malaysia, nuclear is already outlined under the 13th Malaysia Plan (2026-2030) as a viable source of clean electricity, with its generation expected by 2031. MyPOWER, an agency under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), has also been tasked with coordinating preparations for welcoming nuclear into the country. As the country’s designated Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation (NEPIO), MyPOWER will be responsible for leading cross-government planning in line with the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Milestones Approach, including regulatory readiness, human capital development, stakeholder engagement and feasibility assessments.

Taken together, these national initiatives reflect a broader shift in ASEAN’s nuclear conversation – from exploring the possibility of nuclear power to planning for its potential implementation. While each country charts their own path, the broader regional trend is clear: nuclear is increasingly being considered alongside renewables as part of a diversified energy mix capable of supporting long-term growth and energy security.