Malaysia’s Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang on April 6 confirmed that the government is conducting a comprehensive, evidence-based assessment of nuclear energy as a complementary component of the national power mix, framing the technology as a long-term supply stabilizer rather than a replacement for existing energy sources.
Key Facts At A Glance
- Statement issued by Minister Chang Lih Kang on April 6, 2026, via a Facebook post, as reported by Bernama
- Assessment factors cited include safety, cost, legal frameworks, talent development, and public acceptance
- Nuclear is positioned to complement, not replace, existing sources including solar, hydro, and gas
- Malaysia’s National Nuclear Technology Policy (DTNN) 2030 was launched by MOSTI in September 2023 as the foundational policy framework
- A pre-feasibility study has been completed, recommending six technical task forces divided between MOSTI and the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA)
- Malaysia signed a Civil Nuclear Strategic Partnership with the United States and has conducted benchmarking engagements with Russia and China
- The Atomic Energy Licensing Bill (Amendment) 2025 took effect December 1, 2025, tightening regulatory oversight in preparation for eventual deployment decisions
- Budget 2026 allocated approximately RM 28.6 million to advance Malaysia’s nuclear readiness
- Malaysia has more than 500 operational data centers, with Ember projecting data center power demand could reach 68 TWh by 2030, roughly 30% of projected national demand
Minister Chang Lih Kang’s April 6 statement was published as a Facebook post and picked up by the national news agency Bernama. His language was deliberate: all considerations were being made carefully and based on evidence, accounting for safety, cost, legal frameworks, talent development, and public acceptance. He reiterated that nuclear energy would not be introduced to displace existing renewable or gas-based sources, but to complement them in ensuring a stable, sustainable, and resilient long-term supply.
The statement did not announce new timelines, project sites, technology selections, or procurement processes. It was instead a reaffirmation of the government’s ongoing assessment posture, consistent with prior ministerial statements reaching back to 2023, when MOSTI launched the National Nuclear Technology Policy (DTNN) 2030. That framework established nuclear technology as a strategic national priority, with the Malaysian Nuclear Agency designated as the lead coordinating body for national cooperation platforms and strategic nuclear projects.
Institutional Architecture In Place
Malaysia’s nuclear energy planning is being carried out through a structured institutional architecture. Six national technical task forces have been established across MOSTI and PETRA. MOSTI’s three task forces cover technology and industrial development, nuclear competence and expertise development, and legal and regulatory framework formulation. PETRA’s three task forces address the technical integration of nuclear energy into the national power system.
The Nuclear Energy Programme Implementing Organisation (NEPIO) operates under MyPower Corp and is being developed according to guidelines from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Malaysia is preparing for an IAEA Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review Phase 1 assessment, expected to take place after internal preparations are completed in 2027.
Regulatory groundwork has also been laid. The Atomic Energy Licensing Bill (Amendment) 2025, which took effect on December 1, 2025, strengthened licensing requirements across the nuclear value chain, covering possession and use of radioactive materials, operation of radiation generators, radioactive waste management, and the construction or decommissioning of nuclear-related facilities. Minister Chang had earlier characterized this amendment as preparation for a possibility that cannot be organized retroactively: decisions of this scale require regulatory infrastructure to precede them.
Energy Drivers: Demand Growth And Supply Shock
Two intersecting pressures have elevated the urgency of Malaysia’s nuclear deliberations in 2026. The first is structural: rapidly escalating power demand driven by data center growth and AI computing infrastructure. Malaysia has more than 500 operational data centers and has attracted large-scale commitments from Microsoft, Google, and Nvidia, with the Johor corridor emerging as a regional digital infrastructure hub. Energy think tank Ember has projected that data center power demand in Malaysia could reach 68 TWh by 2030, accounting for roughly 30% of projected national electricity demand. Fossil fuels currently generate approximately 81% of Malaysia’s electricity, according to Ember data.
The second pressure is immediate: the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz from early March 2026, following the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, has sharply curtailed LNG and oil flows from the Gulf region, which historically accounted for a disproportionate share of Malaysia’s and the wider region’s fuel imports. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has committed to maintaining fuel subsidies and the government has been exploring fuel diversification beyond June 2026 supply windows. The disruption has reinforced a broader policy argument: fossil fuel dependence exposes Malaysia to geopolitical risk, and domestically dispatchable, low-carbon baseload generation reduces that exposure over the long term.
The SMR Question
Small modular reactors have become the primary technology category under consideration for Malaysia’s first nuclear project. Their appeal rests on scalability to smaller grid configurations, modular construction that reduces upfront capital concentration, enhanced passive safety features, and deployment timelines that are potentially faster than large-scale conventional reactors. MOSTI has conducted benchmarking visits to Russia to examine floating nuclear power plants (FNPPs) and nuclear fuel cycle considerations. Malaysia’s Civil Nuclear Strategic Partnership with the United States, signed in 2025, creates a framework for cooperation on technology, safety, and regulatory alignment.
Wood Mackenzie has projected Malaysia targeting SMR deployment by 2035, aiming for 1.2 GW of nuclear capacity by 2050, though it noted the original 2031 target faces regulatory challenges that may push that timeline. Malaysia has stated it will only decide on nuclear power generation after 2030. The IAEA’s Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review, expected in 2027, will provide an internationally benchmarked assessment of Malaysia’s preparedness across 19 infrastructure issues covering policy, safety, regulatory, and operational readiness.
The Regional Context
Malaysia’s April 6 statement arrived in a regional environment where nuclear energy is accelerating from policy discourse into formal project development. Vietnam signed an intergovernmental agreement with Russia on March 23, 2026, to cooperate on the construction of the Ninh Thuan 1 nuclear power plant, representing the most concrete bilateral nuclear project agreement yet concluded in Southeast Asia. Singapore’s Energy Market Authority signed an MoU with Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power in March 2026 on SMR capability building, following the EMA’s appointment of Mott MacDonald Singapore to evaluate advanced nuclear technologies. Indonesia’s Rencana Umum Perencanaan Tenaga Listrik (RUPTL) includes two 250 MW SMR units with a 5% nuclear generation target by 2040.
For Malaysia, the regional dynamic matters for two reasons: talent and supply chain competition, and technology partnership leverage. As multiple Southeast Asian governments move toward nuclear simultaneously, the window for securing favorable bilateral partnerships, IAEA technical support, and competitively priced SMR agreements may narrow.