Singapore Plans "Western Island"; Experts Say It Could Serve as a Study Subject for Future Nuclear Power Siting
Singapore plans to integrate several outlying islands south of Jurong Island over the coming decades to build the Western Island, which will support the development of new power generation infrastructure and other projects. Several experts interviewed believe that if Singapore decides to deploy nuclear energy in the future, the Western Island could become one of the potential sites requiring focused study, but it cannot yet be directly equated with a "nuclear island." Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced at the National Day Rally on August 23 that Singapore plans to consolidate the small islands south of Jurong Island, including Semakau, Pulau Bukom, and Pulau Sudong, into the Western Island to meet future energy and industrial development needs. Dr. Nian Jiakang, co-founding chairman of an independent energy think tank, believes that Singapore's limited land and dense population make the integration of outlying islands conducive to expanding the research space for future nuclear siting. He said that if Singapore decides to develop nuclear energy, the Western Island should be included as a serious evaluation option, but this does not mean a conclusion has been reached on such deployment.
2026-08-25
