SINGAPORE: The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has appointed the Singapore office of British firm Mott MacDonald to study advanced nuclear energy technologies, it announced on Tuesday (Sep 2).

The study will evaluate the safety performance and technical feasibility of advanced nuclear energy technologies, such as small modular reactors (SMR), based on their safety features, technology maturity and commercial readiness, the authority said.

The tender for deciding which firm would conduct the study was launched in December last year.

Singapore has not made any decision to deploy nuclear energy, EMA said.

“However, it is important for Singapore to continue to build our capabilities and work with various experts to improve our understanding of nuclear energy, especially advanced nuclear energy technologies,” EMA added.

“Any decision to deploy nuclear energy will need to be carefully considered against its safety, reliability, affordability, and environmental sustainability in Singapore’s context.”

Mott MacDonald has more than 60 years of experience in the nuclear energy industry. It provides technical, regulatory and policy advisory services to technology developers and government agencies in the areas of advanced nuclear energy technologies and nuclear safety analysis.

The company last year helped nuclear energy firm Holtec Britain complete the first step of the generic design assessment (GDA) for its SMR.

The GDA is a voluntary process adopted by technology vendors to de-risk new nuclear reactor designs for future project stages.

Mott MacDonald also ensured environmental compliance and provided technical advice on environmental issues for Hinkley Point C – the first new nuclear power station built in Britain in over 20 years.

It also provided project and risk management services to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project in France.

The ITER project, a collaboration involving 35 nations, aims to create the world’s largest tokamak – a nuclear fusion device that will create energy through a fusion process similar to that of the sun.

All conventional nuclear power plants involve nuclear fission, a process that involves splitting atoms.

On its website, Mott MacDonald said the firm had links to Singapore dating back to 1923, and now employed nearly 300 professionals at Mott MacDonald Singapore.

"From achieving world firsts in tunnelling to delivering innovative solutions in future aviation, we've been involved in many iconic and complex projects throughout our 100 plus years in the country," it added.

In Prime Minister Lawrence Wong’s Budget 2025 speech in February, he said that the government would study the potential deployment of nuclear power in Singapore and take further steps to systematically build up capabilities in this area.

He noted then that Singapore has signed agreements with the United States on civil nuclear cooperation and is working on “similar cooperation” with other countries with capabilities and experience in civilian nuclear power, especially SMRs.

In July, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi said Singapore could be the “most perfect example” of a country that needs nuclear energy given its territorial limitations, energy requirements, technological base and institutional maturity.

Mr Grossi's impression then was that Singapore would see its first nuclear power plant “within a few years”, and it may be a cooperative effort with the rest of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.