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Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah have been identified as potential locations for nuclear power plant development - August 19, 2025
The Government is considering nuclear energy for its future energy mix, but a final decision depends on regulatory groundwork and international agreements, including with the United States
THE Malaysian government must sign 18 international agreements before it can reach a final decision on whether to adopt nuclear energy as part of its national power strategy, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said today.
“Three of these agreements are with the United States,” Fadillah revealed during a press conference after officiating the International Green Building Conference (IGBC) 2025.
“Only after completing the necessary agreements can we determine whether nuclear will become part of Malaysia’s future energy mix,” he said.
Fadillah, who also serves as Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), said that Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah have been identified as potential locations for nuclear power plant development.
“Sabah’s energy generation is limited due to its constrained hydro and solar capacities, which must be supplemented with batteries. We also have biomass and biogas sources, but these too are limited,” he explained. “We therefore need to explore other stable energy sources for both Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah.”
He added that the government is also focusing on human capital development, technological expertise, and regulatory enforcement to ensure the safe implementation of nuclear energy.
“More importantly, we are evaluating existing technologies from the perspective of security, safeguards, and public safety to determine what is best for Malaysia, alongside public acceptance. Only then can nuclear energy be pursued,” he said.
So far, he noted, the government has received positive feedback and growing encouragement to accelerate the nuclear energy development process.
In his keynote address, Fadillah said the government is currently assessing the feasibility of nuclear power, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), as a stable energy source for areas facing challenges in accessing renewable energy.
The study also includes the development of waste management strategies to ensure nuclear energy can be responsibly integrated into Malaysia’s sustainable energy ecosystem. - August 19, 2025
