Nuclear Power Plant Technology Choices Must Be Tailored to Industrial Needs
SINGAPORE – The choice of nuclear power plant technology should be tailored to each country’s electricity needs, transmission grid conditions and industrial characteristics. Large nuclear reactors and small modular reactors (SMRs) serve different purposes, meaning no single technology can meet every energy requirement.
Todd Smith, CANDU International’s vice-president of marketing and international business development, said countries seeking to develop nuclear power plants should first determine their energy needs and intended uses. The choice of technology should not be based solely on proposals from reactor vendors.
“Technology choices must be based on the application. We cannot simply choose a technology because someone turns up with the most attractive brochure,” Smith said at the Nuclear Readiness: Global Insights for Southeast Asia’s Energy Future panel at Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2026 on Wednesday (28 October 2026).
Smith said nuclear technologies are available in various capacities and configurations that can be matched to users’ needs. Large-scale reactors are better suited to areas with high electricity demand and adequate transmission networks, while SMRs may be an option for remote areas with lower demand.
Smith contrasted energy needs in southern and northern Ontario, Canada. Southern Ontario has a high population density and a high-voltage transmission network capable of delivering large amounts of electricity.
Northern Ontario, by contrast, has more dispersed communities and a less extensive electricity grid. In these circumstances, smaller-capacity reactors are considered a better fit for local energy needs.
“In southern Ontario, we need large amounts of electricity, and large-scale nuclear reactors can provide supply at a lower cost. But in remote northern areas, where the electricity grid is dispersed, small modular reactors make more sense,” he said.
As well as generating electricity, nuclear technology can help reduce emissions in industry. Smith said some high-temperature reactor technologies can provide the heat or steam needed for production processes.
According to Smith, industrial energy requirements should be taken into account when choosing a reactor type. Nuclear power development should therefore focus not only on generating capacity, but also on using energy to support economic activity.
Smith also stressed the importance of developing a range of energy sources as an integrated system. Large-scale nuclear reactors, SMRs, gas for heating and renewables can complement one another to ensure a reliable energy supply.
Such a combination is needed to meet rising electricity demand while accounting for fluctuations in renewable energy production. Smith said Ontario’s experience shows that demand can grow rapidly as technology advances and more sectors are electrified.
The growth of data centres, artificial intelligence (AI) facilities and wider electrification are driving increased energy demand. Countries seeking large, stable supplies of low-emissions electricity could consider large-scale nuclear reactors.
Smaller reactors, meanwhile, can meet the needs of particular industries or areas with limited electricity grids. Smith said both technologies have distinct roles in developing energy systems.
“We need both large and small reactors. The choice depends on the need and the application,” Smith said.
Smith added that a stable supply of low-emissions electricity can support economic growth and attract new investment, particularly in technology and industrial sectors that require large, continuous power supplies.
CANDU is a Canadian nuclear reactor technology that uses natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as a moderator to slow neutrons during the fission process. Developed and commercialised by Candu Energy Inc., a subsidiary of AtkinsRéalis, the technology allows user countries to develop their own fuel fabrication facilities, potentially strengthening energy independence.