On July 7, 2022, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’ (NRC’s) International Regulatory Development Partnership (IRDP) held a virtual meeting with representatives of Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA). The purpose of the meeting was to (1) provide an opportunity for the NRC to learn about Singapore’s potential plans to develop a nuclear power program and (2) for the leadership of NEA to learn about the assistance activities available through the IRDP.
During the meeting NEA discussed the potential of including nuclear power in its long-term planning for adding capacity to the Singapore electrical grid; the limited space available to establish an appropriate emergency planning zone around a nuclear facility as well as the possibility of having to store high-level waste in their country; their desire to better understand the safety considerations for the new reactor designs (including small modular reactor designs); and what steps Singapore would need to establish a competent nuclear power regulatory agency. NEA also expressed a desire to learn more about computer codes used for environmental dose assessment of operational nuclear power facilities to better understand the implications of nuclear facilities being considered in nearby countries
The NRC and AdSTM representatives discussed, in general, the time and effort needed to approve the design of a nuclear facility (using an NRC-approved design certification effort as an example); the need to begin training at the top levels of policy makers to inform the leadership and develop their vision; and the IRDP workshops available to assist in the development of a nuclear regulatory body.
The meeting concluded with an agreement that NRC would continue to consult with NEA about the appropriate assistance, and prioritization of assistance, for their ongoing activities.