Malaysia: MNPC striving to table bill to safeguard nuclear power

Malaysia: MNPC striving to table bill to safeguard nuclear power

The Malaysia Nuclear Power Corporation (MNPC) hopes the bill to safeguard
the country's nuclear power will be tabled in Parliament next year at the
latest.

The bill, which will replace the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 (Act 304),
will pave the way for the country to have its own nuclear power generator as
early as 2030.

MNPC chief executive officer Mohd Zamzam Jaafar said even though the
government had decided against having a nuclear power generator before 2030,
its development programme was still progressing to ensure that the country
would have clean energy sources by then.

"Once the Act comes into force, the Atomic Energy Licensing Board will be
transformed into the Malaysia Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission, which
will determine the criteria to licence nuclear power generators in the
country," Mohd Zamzam told Bernama on the sidelines of the Public
Understanding of Nuclear Energy Seminar in Putrajaya yesterday.

He said the promulgation of the Act is important to enable the country to
take the next step, that is signing international law agreements related to
nuclear technology.

"By becoming one of the signatories, Malaysia will gain wider access to
nuclear technology," he said.

Mohd Zamzam said the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry submitted a
draft of the bill to the Attorney-General's Chambers in 2015 for its
perusal.

In order for Malaysia to have nuclear energy by 2030 or 2031, a tender to
build a nuclear energy power generator must be issued by 2021, as it would
take about 10 to 11 years for it to become fully operational, he said,
adding that a site feasibility study had to be approved first before the
tender could be issued.

Phase 1 Mission Report to be ready in March

The tabling of the bill will be preceded by a parliamentary presentation of
the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Integrated Nuclear
Infrastructure Review - Phase 1 Mission Report which is expected to be ready
in March, he added.

Mohd Zamzam said the report emanated from a visit by 10 IAEA experts, as
well other international experts, who scrutinised the country's progress in
the nuclear power development programme over the past five years.

He said the report would provide a clear picture of the country's readiness
in taking the next step in developing nuclear energy.

As a body in charge of the country's planning, spearheading and coordinating
the nuclear power development programme, the MNPC had also undertaken
several initiatives to raise public awareness on nuclear energy.

Set up on Jan 7, 2011 as a company with limited guarantee under the Prime
Minister's Department, the MNPC is a Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing
Organisation to facilitate the establishment of an entity to implement the
programme in the country.

Speaking at the seminar, MNPC director Dominic Lau Hoe Chai said any
introduction of nuclear energy for electricity generation would involve a
commitment of at least a century from the government and all stakeholders.

This included the commitment to maintain a sustainable national
infrastructure, right from planning, selection of suitable sites,
construction, commissioning and operation of the nuclear power plants to
decommissioning, as well as, waste disposal and management.

"This requires a sound basis of national decision-making, founded on
objective studies and assessment of national capabilities and state
preparedness, supported by public awareness, understanding and acceptance,"
Lau told the seminar.

Lau said apart from the development of the plants itself, the nuclear power
programme required a long lead time to cultivate a critical mass of domestic
talent, capable of supporting any future initiative.

"We have to make an early start so that if a decision is made, Malaysia has
a talent pool that is ready and available," he added.

He said the talent pool required is not only limited to nuclear engineers
and scientists, but also a wide range of engineering, scientific and other
fields.

"It includes those with expertise in other areas such as project management,
public health, energy economics, finance and many more," Lau added.

The one-day Public Understanding of Nuclear Energy Seminar, which was held
with the cooperation of the Japan Atomic Industry Forum International
Cooperation Centre, was one such initiative undertaken by the MNPC.

The seminar was aimed at boosting public understanding of nuclear energy
based on the Japanese experience, as the country had been relying on the
energy for more than five decades.

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Link to Original Article: https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/370289

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John Diecker
APT Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

www.aptthailand.com