{"id":54094,"date":"2026-04-22T11:52:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T04:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/?p=54094"},"modified":"2026-04-22T11:52:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T04:52:00","slug":"chulalongkorn-universitys-engineering-prepares-for-smrs-newer-safer-small-nuclear-power-plants-for-clean-energy-in-thailand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thaipropertynews.com\/feeds\/?p=54094","title":{"rendered":"Chulalongkorn University’s Engineering Prepares for “SMRs”–Newer, Safer Small Nuclear Power Plants for Clean Energy in Thailand"},"content":{"rendered":"

BANGKOK<\/span>, April 21, 2026<\/span> \/PRNewswire\/ — Chulalongkorn University<\/a> aims for carbon neutrality, promotes knowledge in nuclear energy and Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology,\u00a0safer small-scale nuclear power plants with zero carbon emissions, preparing personnel to drive the nation toward energy security and enhance future economic competitiveness.<\/p>\n

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\"Chulalongkorn <\/a>
Chulalongkorn University\u2019s Engineering Prepares for \u201cSMRs\u201d\u2014Newer, Safer Small Nuclear Power Plants for Clean Energy in Thailand<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Many countries around the world are accelerating their transition toward carbon neutrality while simultaneously strengthening energy security. Solar, wind, and hydropower are clean energy sources that have attracted significant attention, with continuous advancements in technology. Another indispensable high-efficiency clean energy source that does not emit greenhouse gases is nuclear power.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Today, the global nuclear energy trend is moving toward small nuclear power plants, or\u00a0Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which feature more advanced technology, enhanced safety, and greater flexibility in deployment. At present, there are two operational SMRs in the world,\u00a0located\u00a0in China and Russia. However, within the next five years,\u00a0additional\u00a0SMRs are expected to be developed in several countries, including China, Russia, Canada, and the United States.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For Thailand, the\u00a0latest\u00a0draft of\u00a0Power Development Plan (PDP) 2024 mentions the consideration of\u00a0SMRs\u00a0as a future energy\u00a0option. Thailand has long\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0readiness in terms of personnel and nuclear\u00a0expertise, developed over several decades by the\u00a0Department of Nuclear Engineering<\/a>,\u00a0Faculty of Engineering<\/a>, Chulalongkorn University<\/a>,\u00a0the only institution in Thailand that offers education in nuclear engineering.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Half a Century of Thailand’s Nuclear Energy<\/b>
Nuclear energy is not new to Thai society; rather, it\u00a0has been around for\u00a0over\u00a0half a century.\u00a0Assoc.\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Nares\u00a0Chankow, a lecturer in the Department of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, explained that Thailand began discussing nuclear energy as early as 1966. In 1967.\u00a0\u00a0A\u00a0ten-member\u00a0subcommittee\u00a0was formed\u00a0to\u00a0conduct a\u00a0feasibility\u00a0study in various aspects, including personnel training.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Early preparations for nuclear energy were carried out seriously and systematically. Several potential sites were surveyed, and the conclusion was to designate Ao Phai in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province, as the location for Thailand’s first nuclear power plant. This plan was approved by the\u00a0Atoms\u00a0for Peace Committee<\/a>, which\u00a0was chaired by the Prime Minister\u00a0at that time,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This project is also regarded as the starting point for the establishment of the\u00a0Department of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“In 1970, Chulalongkorn University\u00a0established\u00a0the Nuclear Engineering School, initially\u00a0focusing\u00a0on training personnel from the Office of Atoms for Peace. In 1971, professors from the United States\u00a0assisted\u00a0in developing the curriculum. By 1972, the university launched a Graduate Diploma program and a Master of Engineering program in Nuclear Technology. In the\u00a0early period, before a formal department existed, the program was administratively housed within the Department of Sanitary Engineering\u2014now known as the\u00a0Department of Environmental Engineering and Sustainability<\/a>. It was not until 1974 that\u00a0the\u00a0Department of Nuclear Technology was officially\u00a0established, marking the beginning of nuclear engineering education in Thailand. The department was later renamed the Department of Nuclear Engineering to align with other departments within the Faculty of Engineering,” Assoc.\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Nares\u00a0said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Over the past 50 years, the Department of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, has played a key role in producing skilled personnel and continuously advancing knowledge in the field, even during periods when nuclear power plant projects were put on hold.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“The key factor that first led to the slowdown of the project was the discovery of natural gas resources in the Gulf of Thailand around 1977. At the time, it was estimated that these natural gas reserves would last for at least 40 years, and even today,\u00a0nearly 50\u00a0years later,\u00a0they are still being\u00a0utilized. As a result, the government decided to postpone nuclear power projects. Discussions about nuclear power plants tend to resurface periodically during times of energy crises.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

In addition to the availability of natural gas, another major obstacle to nuclear power development has been public understanding and acceptance. This challenge has been intensified by news of major accidents at large-scale nuclear power plants,\u00a0such as\u00a0the\u00a0Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion in Ukraine in 1986,\u00a0or\u00a0more recently,\u00a0the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011, which was triggered by a tsunami. Such events heightened public fear and uncertainty, leading to stronger opposition to the construction of nuclear power plants.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Every time we are about to move forward with a project, an incident occurs that makes nuclear energy look bad\u2014whether\u00a0it’s\u00a0Chernobyl or Fukushima. These events frighten people and cause projects to stall,” Assoc.\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Nares said, drawing a parallel with the criticism surrounding the Chula Tunnel, which has now been in use for over 40 years. “When the tunnel was first built, there was heavy criticism\u2014people said it would be dangerous, that it would flood, that the road would collapse. Anything new, unfamiliar, or not well understood naturally causes fear. What we need to do is communicate\u00a0accurate\u00a0information about nuclear energy to the public as clearly as possible.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

Small Modular Reactors (SMR): The Future of Energy Security<\/b> \u00a0
Efforts by many countries around the world to achieve Net Zero targets have brought nuclear energy back into focus. This time, however, attention is not on large-scale nuclear power plants,\u00a0such as those associated with past disasters and media headlines,\u00a0but rather on a new hope for the global energy sector:\u00a0Small Modular Reactors\u00a0(SMRs).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

“SMRs are modern nuclear power plants with a generating capacity of no more than 300 megawatts, which is much smaller than conventional nuclear power plants that typically have a capacity of around 1,000 megawatts,” explained\u00a0Assoc.\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Dr. Somboon\u00a0Rassame, Head of the Department of Nuclear Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

At present,\u00a0there are only two SMR facilities in actual operation worldwide. The first is in Russia, where the reactors are installed on a ship with a total generating capacity of 2 \u00d7 35 megawatts and have been in operation since 2020. The second is in China, with a generating capacity of approximately 210 megawatts, supplying electricity to the public since 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“At present, there are several SMR power plant projects under construction. China, for example, is building one\u00a0additional\u00a0unit, which is expected to be completed by the end of\u00a0this\u00a0year. Canada has begun construction on four units, and the United States is preparing multiple sites\u00a0for future construction,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Somboon\u00a0Rassame\u00a0said. He\u00a0anticipates\u00a0that by the end of 2030, several SMRs will be in operation worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As for Thailand, after signing the NDC 3.0 (Nationally Determined Contribution), a commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2065, nuclear power projects have once again become a prominent topic in national development planning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the country’s energy security master plan\u2014the latest 2024 draft of Thailand’s Power Development Plan (PDP) prepared by the\u00a0Energy Policy and Planning Office (EPPO)<\/a>\u2014small nuclear power plants (Small Modular Reactors: SMRs) are\u00a0being considered\u00a0as a potential future\u00a0option. The plan includes two SMR units, each with a capacity of approximately 300 megawatts, to\u00a0be located in\u00a0the northeastern and southern regions of Thailand, with operations expected to begin by 2037.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“Due to pressure from the global community\u00a0regarding\u00a0carbon emissions, Thailand has\u00a0very limited\u00a0options. In the future, everyone will be closely scrutinized over where their electricity comes from; if it is still generated from carbon-emitting sources,\u00a0additional\u00a0carbon taxes will be imposed,”\u00a0Assoc.\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Dr. Somboon\u00a0Rassame\u00a0said.\u00a0“Relying solely on renewable energy may not yet be sufficient and poses risks to the country’s electricity security. Wind and solar power have limitations in terms of continuity, while the use of battery storage increases costs. Natural gas and coal still emit\u00a0large amounts\u00a0of carbon. As a result, Thailand must now turn to alternative energy sources that can ensure safety and produce no carbon emissions.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

SMRs: A Leap Forward<\/b>\u00a0of<\/b>\u00a0Nuclear Technology for Enhanced Safety<\/b>
Assoc.\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Dr. Somboon noted that\u00a0SMRs offer several advantages, the first of which is flexibility.\u00a0\u00a0“If a large nuclear power plant is built, we must be confident that the area has sufficiently high electricity demand. However, SMRs can be\u00a0built\u00a0in medium-sized communities, on islands, or in industrial estates. Most importantly, SMRs allow\u00a0additional\u00a0generating units to be added in line with growing demand. For example, a project could begin with 100 megawatts in the first five years, and when demand increases, another 200 megawatts can be added. This\u00a0offers greater flexibility and better supports economic growth than large power plants, which require a massive one-time investment.”\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The most significant advantage of SMRs is their newly developed safety systems. Assoc.\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Dr. Somboon explained that\u00a0nearly all\u00a0SMR designs feature self-reliant safety systems that do not depend on external power supplies. Even\u00a0in the event of\u00a0a disaster or emergency\u00a0where\u00a0the plant will automatically shut down, the SMR’s safety systems will\u00a0operate\u00a0independently to safely bring the reactor to a halt. Emergency cooling in SMRs is also designed to be simpler and more self-sustaining, relying on natural cooling principles such as fluid circulation and gravity, rather than large volumes of coolant or water as required by large-scale plants. This significantly reduces the risk of reactor core meltdown and the release of radioactive materials into the environment, as occurred during the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3<\/b>\u00a0Key Advantages of SMRs and Issues Requiring Careful Preparation<\/b>
Assoc.\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Dr. Somboon\u00a0Rassame\u00a0outlined the advantages of\u00a0SMRs in\u00a0three main points\u00a0as follows:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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  1. Safety:<\/b>\u202fAll\u00a03\u00a0nuclear power plant accidents that have occurred worldwide involved plants built in the 1970s\u2014more than 50 years ago. Since then, nuclear technology has advanced significantly. SMRs are equipped with passive safety systems that\u00a0operate\u00a0automatically without relying on external power sources. Even\u00a0in the event of\u00a0a disaster or power outage, the reactor can safely shut itself down. In addition, the smaller size of SMRs makes\u00a0them\u00a0easier to control and manage.\u00a0<\/li>\n
  2. Economics:<\/b>\u00a0The initial investment required for SMRs is lower than that for large-scale power plants, and they offer high flexibility.\u00a0SMRs can be installed in remote areas, on islands, or in industrial estates that large power plants cannot easily reach. Moreover, generating units can be added according to demand,\u00a0eliminating\u00a0the need for a massive one-time investment.\u00a0<\/li>\n
  3. Environment:<\/b>\u00a0SMRs do not emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide throughout the operational lifetime of the plant. This helps Thailand achieve its Net Zero goals more quickly and effectively, while also providing a more reliable energy source than other forms of renewable energy.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Although SMRs are smaller than conventional nuclear power plants, they still raise the same issue of radioactive waste. Therefore, Thailand needs to develop concrete plans for managing radioactive waste in the future\u00a0in accordance with\u00a0international standards, while also building public confidence that the country has safe, transparent, and verifiable systems for the storage and disposal of waste from SMRs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

    SMRs: Costs and<\/b>\u00a0Cost-Effectiveness<\/b> \u00a0
    One of the questions the public is most interested in is, “If SMRs are introduced, will electricity prices become cheaper?”\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Assoc.\u00a0Prof.\u00a0Dr. Somboon\u00a0Rassame\u00a0addressed this issue by saying, “SMRs are like any new product\u2014much like when new smartphone models are first released. Naturally, the price will not be low at the beginning, but as\u00a0more people use them, prices should decrease according to market mechanisms.”\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

    Importantly,\u00a0he emphasized that cost-effectiveness should not be assessed based on price alone, but should also\u00a0take into account\u00a0several key advantages, including:\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n