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We thank Mr Irwan Jamil for his Forum letter “ ” (Aug 5). Mr Irwan is right to suggest that there could be many benefits to including nuclear power in our energy system. Many of the advanced nuclear energy technologies that have the potential to be safe for Singapore are still in the development stage and have not been deployed on a commercial scale. That is why we have not made any decision on nuclear energy deployment. Our priority at this point is to better understand these technologies and build up our capabilities on nuclear safety. Singapore’s civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the US that was signed on July 31 will help facilitate this. Singaporeans are familiar with our water story. Energy is equally an existential issue. Energy keeps our lights and air-conditioning on. It powers our desalination plants, MRT trains and factories. Almost all our energy today is imported as natural gas. We have little to no indigenous energy resources. As we plan a low-carbon energy future for Singapore, we would have to ensure energy security, keep an eye on affordability and progressively reduce carbon emissions. This will not be a simple feat. Singapore is therefore exploring all possible decarbonisation pathways. Beyond nuclear energy, we are also pursuing electricity imports, solar energy, low-carbon hydrogen, carbon capture and storage, as well as deep geothermal energy. These pathways can also offer new opportunities for growth and innovation. We welcome citizens and businesses to join us in this journey. Director, New Energies Division Ministry of Trade and Industry