On 30 July 2025, theoretical physicist Dr Syed Alwi Ahmad issued a detailed public warning against the adoption of nuclear energy in Singapore.
A member of the Central Executive Committee of alternative political party Red Dot United, Syed Alwi shared his concerns in a Facebook post, arguing that nuclear power exceeds Singapore’s physical and infrastructural constraints.
The warning followed remarks by Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), who suggested Singapore could serve as a “most perfect example” of a country well-suited for nuclear energy.
Grossi highlighted Singapore’s technological maturity, stable institutions, and energy needs as compelling factors for adopting nuclear power.
A physicist’s perspective on structural limits
Syed Alwi, who holds a PhD in Physics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the United States, noted that his training has given him a professional instinct for recognising when systems are being pushed beyond their natural constraints.
This instinct, he explained, informs both his scientific work and his perspective on national infrastructure and risk management.
While expressing admiration for the scientific achievements behind nuclear energy, he stressed that technological sophistication alone does not determine suitability.
“The question is not whether a system is advanced,” he wrote, “but whether it fits. In Singapore’s case, nuclear power does not fit.”
Singapore’s geography makes emergency planning unfeasible
Syed Alwi’s primary objection relates to Singapore’s limited land area, which he argued renders emergency planning impractical.
He cited United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) standards, which mandate two Emergency Planning Zones around nuclear reactors: a 16-kilometre plume exposure zone and an 80-kilometre ingestion pathway zone.
“Singapore is just over 50 kilometres wide,” he wrote.
“That means there is no location on this island that lies outside the 80 kilometre zone.”
In the event of a radiological incident, he warned, the entire country would be exposed. “There is no safe perimeter. There is no unaffected region.”
No feasible option for nuclear waste storage
The second major concern relates to the storage of nuclear waste, which remains hazardous for thousands of years.
According to Syed Alwi, safe storage requires features that Singapore lacks: geological stability, isolation from dense populations, and sufficient space.
Any such facility, he warned, would be located close to residential, commercial, or water catchment zones, presenting unacceptable risks.
“That is a level of exposure no society should accept,” he stated.
Evacuation logistics incompatible with population density
Syed Alwi also criticised the viability of evacuation plans in Singapore’s densely populated environment.
Global nuclear safety standards assume the possibility of moving large populations out of danger zones.
In Singapore, he argued, that is a logistical impossibility.
“Our density and limited land area make rapid evacuation unworkable,” he said. “We cannot move hundreds of thousands of people to safety because there is no physical space in which to shelter them.”
Local expertise still insufficient for nuclear operations
While acknowledging Singapore’s efforts in nuclear science and radiation safety, Syed Alwi contended that a fully operational nuclear programme demands more than academic capacity.
He argued that Singapore lacks the depth of ecosystem required—reactor operators, regulators, emergency managers, and long-term planners—with the necessary continuity and hands-on experience.
“These roles must be filled locally,” he said. “We are not at that point yet.”
Public trust and democratic engagement essential
Syed Alwi further emphasised that the issue is not merely technical, but also societal.
He stressed that meaningful public involvement, transparency, and long-term accountability mechanisms are essential for any nuclear programme to earn legitimacy.
“In many newcomer countries, including Singapore,” he noted, “the experience of engaging the public on such high-stakes issues remains limited.”
Without such engagement, he warned, any move toward nuclear power risks being perceived as illegitimate or imposed.
Singapore cannot externalise nuclear risk
Finally, Syed Alwi rejected the possibility of outsourcing the associated risks.
Unlike larger countries that can place reactors in remote areas or rely on regional partnerships for waste disposal and emergency backup, Singapore lacks those options.
“We have no rural provinces. We have no partners who would accept our radioactive waste,” he stated. “Everything would need to be managed inside our national borders.”
He described that burden as “extraordinary” and disproportionate for a country of Singapore’s size.
A call for alternative energy strategies
Rather than pursuing nuclear power, Syed Alwi urged Singapore to focus on alternatives that align with its unique constraints.
He identified regional power grids, expanded solar infrastructure, improved energy storage, and investment in low-risk generation systems as safer and more responsible options.
“These may not be dramatic,” he concluded, “but they are responsible.”
Scientific coherence must guide national decisions
In summarising his position, Syed Alwi returned to a core principle of physics—that a theory must respect its boundary conditions.
“In national planning, the same principle applies,” he wrote.
“Nuclear power exceeds the boundary conditions of Singapore.”
He concluded his remarks by urging policymakers to be ambitious yet wise, and to respect the structural limits of the island nation.
Syed Alwi was part of a five-member team led by RDU chief Ravi Philemon that contested Nee Soon Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the 2025 General Election.
During his election campaign, Syed Alwi also raised concerns about the potential adoption of nuclear energy in Singapore, highlighting both the moral and generational risks.
“In a democracy, transparency must come before technology,” he stated, urging for a national debate and broad public consultation before any irreversible decisions are made.
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The People’s Action Party (PAP) team, headed by Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, secured 73.81% of the vote, marking its fourth consecutive victory in the GRC following the conclusion of polling on 3 May.
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