In recent years, most countries have committed to achieving carbon neutrality with low emissions and promoting green energy as a means to reduce electricity costs and pollutant emissions. With technological advances in energy studies, we have seen many alternative forms of providing electric energy being improved. We saw many achievements related to solar panels, wind energy, and green hydrogen, but this country’s decision may step up the capacity of the energy transition. To turn these plans into reality, they received some help from China, which is a world reference in the same technology they want to implement.
They saw in the most extreme energy in history a way to achieve their goals
Among the alternative sources of energy, one of the most extreme is nuclear energy. With accidents that happened in the last century and the need for contingency and a functional emergency plan, this source of energy is feared by many people. And that is the reason why the announcement made by this country shocked the world.
Besides the decision to rely on nuclear energy to supply their needs during the transition to low-carbon emission sources, this country also decided to search for help in an unexpected place: China.
The announcement, made by the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), also revealed the plans for the country to deploy small modular reactors (SMRs) and the safety plans to avoid critical situations. With these plans, Thailand aims to be among the countries that rely on nuclear energy and technological advances through this powerful source.
Besides being smaller than a traditional nuclear reactor, it is still powerful
Small modular reactors are more flexible and safer than traditional nuclear power plants. Besides its size, it can produce about 300 megawatts of electricity, while a “normal size” nuclear plant produces more than 1,000 MWe. According to Thepparat Theppitak, EGAT governor, the choice had two determining factors:
“Small modular reactors are designed to be smaller in size, with the fuel system and steam generation system integrated into a single module. This design reduces system complexity, thus increasing safety”.
According to Theppitak, the safety system consists of an automatic shutdown in case of an emergency. In addition, the SMR also has a cooling system that does not rely on electricity and will need a smaller radius of contingency territory.
Another determining point was the cost of an SMR: “Thanks to their longer service lifetimes of 60 years and lower fuel costs, SMRs will prove to be a sustainable alternative for Thailand’s green future that helps boost the country’s competitiveness with affordable energy prices”, states Theppitak.
They found help in China
During the research for models of useful SMR technologies, Thailand studied over 80 types of small nuclear plants in 18 countries, but found some advances after studying the Chinese plant of Linglong One, in Hainan, which is also the first above-surface commercial SMR in the world.
As a result of this research, they developed a plan to educate citizens about nuclear energy and using it responsibly, reducing the fear and increasing the understanding and acceptance. Working with the Education Ministry, they plan to include SMRs studies in the curriculum at high school and university levels.
It is only a small part of a power development plan
According to some sources, the Thai decision is only a small part of a power development plan that will cover the period between 2018 and 2037. With this decision, the Thai government aims to meet 53% of its energy requirement from natural gas, 36% from renewable sources, and 11% from coal and other fossil fuels. As well as Thailand, other countries are pursuing similar goals for their green energy plans. Thinking of an alternative to nuclear energy, this country was inspired by the design of a nuclear plant to develop another energy project that may change the future.