
Authorities are working on a plan to prepare Thailand for nuclear power technology, though the enforcement of the new power development plan (PDP), which approves the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), is facing delays.
An SMR is a form 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.
Though the PDP, which will be applicable from 2024 to 2037, has yet to be officially enforced, the Energy Regulatory Commission and the Office of Atoms for Peace will work together on nuclear power and electricity management in Thailand.
According to the Royal Gazette, which announced their cooperation, the Office of Atoms for Peace will work on nuclear safety issues while the Energy Regulatory Commission will look into the nation's energy security and grid system.
Legal issues and SMR technology are expected to be discussed by the two agencies.
It is believed that the government will not push ahead with the SMR project until the work of the two agencies takes shape, unveiling a clearer direction of nuclear power in the country, said an energy official who requested anonymity.
"The two agencies will not tell the public that Thailand is planning to develop SMRs. This should be the task of policymakers who will give the final say on nuclear power," said the official.
Under the PDP, two SMRs, each with a capacity of 300MW, will be developed and commence operations towards the end of the plan. The SMRs could be developed and run by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.
But SMR development may be suspended or changed if there are other new clean fuels and technologies able to generate electricity with a low carbon footprint, said the official.
The PDP is designed to promote greater use of clean power, which includes nuclear power.
Under the plan, renewable energy is set to comprise 51% of total fuel use by 2037, up from 20% at the end of 2023, while coal and gas should fall to 48%, down from nearly 80% as of early 2024.
The other 1% comes from nuclear energy and new energy solutions aimed at reducing fossil fuel usage and saving electricity.
The PDP is facing a delay because of some disagreements among energy experts, though the plan has already passed through a public hearing.
The renewable energy proportion is considered to be insufficient to support the government's campaign against carbon dioxide emissions, while the projection of Thailand's long-term power demand under the PDP is too high, causing significant investment burdens for the government, according to critics.