Southeast Asia's Nuclear Power Push for AI Data Centers

0:00South East Asia is reviving long dormant nuclear power plans to handle booming energy needs, especially from artificial intelligence data centers. Five countries in the region, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines are leading the charge with targets to bring reactors online by the early 2030s. None have generated nuclear power before, but surging demand could make nearly half the region nuclear powered within a decade, if planned stick. Earlier this week, Vietnam pushed forward a deal with Russia for two plants, calling them key national projects. Indonesia aims for two small modular reactors by 2034, while Thailand won 600 megawatts by 2037. The Philippines, with its unused 1970s plant, launched a new regulator last year and set a 2032 goal. Data centers are a big driver, with over 2000 already in places like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Malaysia alone has more than 500 running, hundreds more building, and over 1,100 planned, fueled

1:05by tech giants chasing AI. Supremacy. The International Energy Agency says the region will drive a quarter of global energy growth by 2035. Global trends are helping too, with nearly 40 nations pledging to triple nuclear capacity by 2050. The United States signed a nuclear deal with Malaysia last year, and high oil prices from Middle East tensions are speeding things up. Officials say nuclear offers reliable, low emission power for energy security. While excitement builds, safety worries linger from past disasters like Chernobyl and Fukushima, along with challenges like waste and high start-up. Costs. Still, as the man climbs and fossil fuels wane, these nations are betting nuclear will secure their energy future for decades ahead. Stay informed with Canada News today. AI-powered updates. I'm Corey with The Story.