KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's nuclear power programme will only be able to kick off after 2030, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri today.
Speaking at the Parliament today, Nancy said the government has yet to decide on the nuclear power project development as its feasibility study indicated a different timeline compared to the one stated in the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).
"Based on the feasibility study, we need at least 11 years to complete the power plant, from the date the government decides to start the bidding process.
"Although the ETP stated 2021 as the target year, it has to be shifted as the government has to take into account the current development and sentiment on nuclear power specifically the tsunami effect on Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant in March 2011," Nancy (BN-Batang Sadong) said in response to question from BN's Kota Tinggi MP Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid.
Noor Ehsanuddin had asked for the minister, who oversees Malaysian Innovation Agency, Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) and the Malaysian Nuclear Power Corporation, to state the date of construction for the two nuclear power plants as stipulated in the ETP.
Nancy said the nuclear power generation progamme would only be able to operate after 2030 which would still be subjected to the approval of the atomic energy regulation bill.