Southeast Asian Nations Revive Nuclear Power for AI Demand

Several Southeast Asian nations are reviving nuclear power programs to meet surging electricity demands from artificial intelligence data centers and energy insecurity stemming from the war in Iran. This regional shift aligns with a global effort involving approximately 40 countries to triple nuclear capacity by 2050, mirroring a 2025 order by Donald Trump to quadruple U.S. nuclear power within 25 years.

Vietnam is currently constructing two plants with support from the Russian state corporation Rosatom, which Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh described as "nationally significant, strategic projects." Malaysia has revived its nuclear program with a 2031 target and signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the United States to support its goal of becoming a regional AI computing hub. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted the agreement served as "a signal to the world of how civil nuclear cooperation is something that is available."

Other regional targets include the Philippines, which is implementing a roadmap for 2032, and Indonesia, which aims for two small modular reactors by 2034. Thailand targets 600 megawatts of capacity by 2037. Meanwhile, Cambodia, Singapore, and Brunei have signaled interest in exploring atomic energy. Critics warn that these nations, some starting nuclear industries from scratch, may overlook renewable alternatives and face significant safety risks.