Malaysia To Study Feasibility of Thorium As Nuclear Energy

By Danial Martinus • 16 Jul 2026 in News

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Malaysia is taking a look into the feasibility of thorium as a source of nuclear power for the country’s long-term energy plans.

According to Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad, four countries have already expressed their interest in a potential cooperation or partnership in this endeavour, namely France, the US, Russia, and China.

But he also stressed that no country had been selected as a partner yet.

Why thorium, not uranium?

If you’re familiar with the concept of nuclear energy, you’re probably more accustomed to the word “uranium” being thrown around as opposed to thorium.

Uranium is more commonly used to generate nuclear energy simply because the entire industry was built around its fuel cycle (and for its added adaptibility into nuclear weapons, go figure). It’s a “fissile” material, which means it can sustain a nuclear chain reaction all on its own.

Thorium, on the other hand, is a “fertile” material. This means it can’t sustain a reaction alone, and must be combined with a fissile material like enriched urainium in order to generate power. It’s also three to four times more abundant in the Earth’s crust than uranium, making it a more attractive future energy source.

But most importantly, thorium nuclear reactors would theoretically produce less long-lived radioactive waste than uranium, making it safer to handle in the long run. It’s not a renewable energy by any means, since it’s still a finite material, but it’s definitely a cleaner energy alternative if handled correctly.

Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad. (source: Bernama / New Straits Times)

Leading the study on Malaysia’s nuclear power feasibility is MyPower Corporation, according to Rahman. Until the technology is found to be safe, sustainable, and beneficial, no nuclear power plant would be considered yet.

In the near term, Malaysia is prioritising commercially viable renewable sources, including solar photovoltaic, tri-generation, biogas, and hydropower.

The country does not currently operate any nuclear power plants, instead relying on fossil fuels and renewable energy sources to sustain the country’s electricity needs. But a future nuclear-powered Malaysia might not seem like such a far-fetched idea.