MOSTI actively researching use of nuclear as alternative energy source
Bernama (27/5/08): The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) is actively researching the use of nuclear as an alternative energy source of electricity in view of the decline in current energy sources, its Deputy Minister, Fadillah Yusof, said.
The results of the research, in which the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications is also involved, will be presented to the Cabinet for a decision, he said.
The current sources of energy are on the decline and the use of nuclear energy is seen to have less green-house effect while one rod of nulear can be used for a longer term and can last between three and 20 years compared with the energy from petroleum and gas, he said at the Dewan Rakyat sitting here, Tuesday.
"Here we can see the ministries' commitment to do the research and present it (to the Cabinet) with the hope that nuclear energy could be a choice for our country so that in the long term we will be capable of competing in various fields especially in the provision of power," he said.
Fadillah said this in his reply to a question from Dr Che Rosli Che Mat (Pas-Hulu Langat) on the status of nuclear energy as an alternative power source against the increasing cost of world oil price.
He said his ministry had also taken the initiative to prepare a comprehensive working paper on the political, economical, social and technological aspects of nuclear energy as well as the environment, legal and security aspects.
The working paper will provide for further assessment and detailed study of all the aspects involved before the country can develop a programme for nuclear based energy source in the future, he said.
Asked on the initial preparations being made especially in terms of expertise or researchers to prepare the country towards nuclear energy use, Fadillah said that the country currently had 352 energy expert scientists with 50 of them specialised in the area of nuclear energy.
"We have also made the initial preparation, where we have set up a nuclear plant in Selangor capable of producing one megawatt (MW) of nuclear energy," he said.
"But that energy is only for the purpose of research study being carried out by our experts and currently, Universiti Putra Malaysia is planning to set up another specialised faculty related to nuclear energy," he said.
Malaysia has set up the nuclear research and training centre in Bangi, Selangor.
Fadillah also said that the country currently had no national policy on developing nuclear energy as an alternative power source.
He, however, said that the government was following the current developments in the world where more and more countries are planning on the use of nuclear energy for their electricity power including neighbouring countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.
"Apart from that, countries from the Middle East such as Arab Saudi, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Turkey are also said to be getting more keen on developing nuclear energy programmes," he said.
As of December last year, there were 439 nuclear plants operating in 30 countries including China, Taiwan, Japan, Republic of Korea and India with a total electricity power production capacity of 371,825 Megawatts.
The results of the research, in which the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications is also involved, will be presented to the Cabinet for a decision, he said.
The current sources of energy are on the decline and the use of nuclear energy is seen to have less green-house effect while one rod of nulear can be used for a longer term and can last between three and 20 years compared with the energy from petroleum and gas, he said at the Dewan Rakyat sitting here, Tuesday.
"Here we can see the ministries' commitment to do the research and present it (to the Cabinet) with the hope that nuclear energy could be a choice for our country so that in the long term we will be capable of competing in various fields especially in the provision of power," he said.
Fadillah said this in his reply to a question from Dr Che Rosli Che Mat (Pas-Hulu Langat) on the status of nuclear energy as an alternative power source against the increasing cost of world oil price.
He said his ministry had also taken the initiative to prepare a comprehensive working paper on the political, economical, social and technological aspects of nuclear energy as well as the environment, legal and security aspects.
The working paper will provide for further assessment and detailed study of all the aspects involved before the country can develop a programme for nuclear based energy source in the future, he said.
Asked on the initial preparations being made especially in terms of expertise or researchers to prepare the country towards nuclear energy use, Fadillah said that the country currently had 352 energy expert scientists with 50 of them specialised in the area of nuclear energy.
"We have also made the initial preparation, where we have set up a nuclear plant in Selangor capable of producing one megawatt (MW) of nuclear energy," he said.
"But that energy is only for the purpose of research study being carried out by our experts and currently, Universiti Putra Malaysia is planning to set up another specialised faculty related to nuclear energy," he said.
Malaysia has set up the nuclear research and training centre in Bangi, Selangor.
Fadillah also said that the country currently had no national policy on developing nuclear energy as an alternative power source.
He, however, said that the government was following the current developments in the world where more and more countries are planning on the use of nuclear energy for their electricity power including neighbouring countries like Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.
"Apart from that, countries from the Middle East such as Arab Saudi, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Turkey are also said to be getting more keen on developing nuclear energy programmes," he said.
As of December last year, there were 439 nuclear plants operating in 30 countries including China, Taiwan, Japan, Republic of Korea and India with a total electricity power production capacity of 371,825 Megawatts.
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