Malaysia to consider adopting nuclear energy to accelerate net-zero target 2050

The Star

5 hours ago

Deputy Minister of the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (PETRA), Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has to relook the whole energy triangle, including the possibility of adopting nuclear energy, in order to achieve its net-zero carbon emissions target by 2050, said Deputy Minister of the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry (PETRA), Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
"We need to maintain the affordability, the sustainability as well as the security of the supply. Where are we going to replace our base load?
".… so even nuclear is not considered as renewable energy, but it is considered as one of the clean sources of producing energy. So if you ask me, from my point of view, I think without nuclear, we may not achieve net zero (target) by 2050," he said.
Akmal Nasrullah was a panelist in a dialogue session entitled 'Delivering Malaysia's Energy Transition' at the Energy Asia 2025 conference here today.
He stressed that when the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) was launched in 2023, the interest was not only on the production or energy transition but the dynamics in terms of consumption have also changed.
To recap, NETR aims to achieve 70 per cent renewable energy in the energy mix by 2050, where solar and hydro energies play the main role, while natural gases serve as the transition fuels.
He said the government and public should embrace reality to adopt nuclear energy to help the country achieve its net zero mission.
"So bear in mind, this (adopting nuclear energy) is something we have to really consider.
"We do (have) our own planning, but hopefully when the government decides to go full-fledged for nuclear, not just the government, (but) the public will also be ready to face the reality that for us to achieve the net zero target by 2050, nuclear (energy) is the way to go," he said. - Bernama