A new public perception of nuclear technology in the power sector is needed and crucial for the Energy Ministry's efforts to push for small modular reactor (SMR) projects in the 2024 power development plan, say energy and nuclear technology experts.
SMR is a type of nuclear power technology with a capacity of up to 300 megawatts per unit, about one-third of the generating capacity of larger, traditional nuclear power reactors, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
The reactor is designed to be modular, making it easier for systems and components to be factory-assembled and transported.
"Though Thai people are familiar with nuclear technology, many of them still relate it to atomic bombs or radiation leakage from nuclear power plants," said Thawatchai Onjun, executive director of Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology.
Thailand has long had a nuclear research reactor at the Office of Atoms for Peace near Kasetsart University in Bangkok. This means people have already been introduced to nuclear technology, so it should not be too difficult to further educate them on the technology used in the power sector, he said.
Mr Thawatchai was speaking at a recent seminar on the SMR technology, held after energy authorities stated in the power development plan that they would use SMRs to support the government's campaign to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The new power development plan, scheduled to be enforced from 2024 to 2037, emphasises greater use of renewable energy.
Energy officials are planning to conduct a feasibility study on SMRs.
Preparations for the SMR project should start this year, and the construction of an SMR-based power plant should begin in 2031 because, according to the power development plan, the operational date for SMRs is set for roughly 2037, said Siriwat Jedsi, director for power plant engineering at the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat).
The facility is expected to operate for 60 years.
Its development cost is estimated at US$500 per kilowatt-hour, according to Egat.
"A 300-megawatt SMR requires less fuel than other types of power plant. One kilogramme of uranium can produce electricity generated by 100 tonnes of bituminous coal or 50 tonnes of natural gas," said Mr Siriwat, adding that a 300-megawatt SMR requires just 12 tonnes of uranium a year.
SMRs are safer than larger, traditional nuclear power reactors, but the SMR project still needs to go through a public hearing because nuclear power is a very contentious issue in Thailand, according to energy experts.
In addition to the safety concerns, whether Thailand has sufficient numbers of experts with nuclear technology know-how could also be an issue.
Chulalongkorn University's nuclear energy expert Somboon Rassame believes the country will not face a lack of personnel capable of managing nuclear technology.
His university offers a nuclear engineering curriculum, and to date there have been four classes of nuclear energy graduates. Chulalongkorn University also collaborates with energy authorities on human resource development in the field of nuclear technology, he said.
The Office of Atoms for Peace is preparing necessary regulations that can support the installation and operation of SMRs in Thailand, said the office's deputy secretary-general Pennapa Kanchana.
There are currently many technologies for SMR development and the reactors can be used for various purposes, including power generation and industrial operations, so officials need to thoroughly study them to come up with right regulations on SMR usage, she said.
At present, 18 countries worldwide are developing SMRs and another 27, including Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, are in the process of making a decision on the use of SMR technology, said Dohee Hahn, an SMR platform coordinator at the IAEA's department of nuclear energy.
