Could nuclear energy be the solution to Singapore’s search for a viable source of alternative energy in the long term?Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said as much yesterday when he described nuclear energy as a realistic, viable alternative to oil and gas for producing electricity.
The stumbling block, however, is that even if the decision was made eventually to build a nuclear power station, the densely populated and compact Republic lacks the minimum safety distance required for evacuation in case of a fallout.
“The rule is that you must have the power station at least 30 km away. Where do we site this nuclear station?” asked Mr Lee as he delivered the inaugural Singapore Energy Lecture as part of the ongoing International Energy Week being held here.
Separately, Mr Lee also said that Singapore would eventually be “forced to cooperate” with its neighbours, Malaysia and Indonesia, in this alternative energy effort. “If we all understand the complexity and the immensity of the problems the world faces, and what we will face in South-east Asia, then we should have a common pipeline and common grid so that (the energy) is transferable.”
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