Enviro News Asia, Singapore — The Energy Market Authority (EMA) and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 1 March 2026 to cooperate on civil nuclear energy capability building in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
The agreement marks the first civil nuclear energy cooperation MOU between a Korean nuclear power company and a Singapore government agency. The MOU was signed by KHNP Acting President & CEO Daewook Chun and EMA Chief Executive Puah Kok Keong, and was exchanged during the Korea-Singapore Summit held in Singapore.
The MOU formalises collaboration between the two parties and establishes a framework for cooperation in three key areas:
- Conducting joint studies on the potential application of SMRs in Singapore
- Collaboration in human resource development and training
- Sharing technical information and best practices in advanced nuclear technologies
The partnership supports EMA’s broader efforts to explore pathways to decarbonise Singapore’s power system while ensuring a reliable, secure and sustainable energy supply.
Puah Kok Keong, Chief Executive of EMA, highlighted that as a small country with limited domestic energy resources, Singapore must explore all options to strengthen energy resilience in a low-carbon future. He noted that advanced nuclear technologies such as SMRs hold promise as a potential clean energy source and that cooperation with KHNP will deepen Singapore’s technical understanding to carefully assess nuclear energy’s suitability.
Daewook Chun, Acting President & CEO of KHNP, stated that the company is contributing to the global energy transition through its extensive experience in nuclear plant operations and technical expertise. He affirmed KHNP’s commitment to supporting EMA’s assessment of the safety and viability of SMR technology as a responsible partner. (*)
