Foreign technicians may man Malaysia's nuke plant

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is likely to hire foreign technicians who have experience in the area to man Malaysia’s first nuclear plant.

Malaysiakini understands that this will be the case for the first few years before the national energy provider can build enough expertise to run it on their own.  

As such, said a source within TNB who requested anonymity, Malaysians should not be worried about any mishap from the nuclear plant.

He added that TNB is already doing initial preparations, while the government works on sensitising the public about the issue.

“Most people are reacting irrationally because they don’t have enough information about nuclear. Many countries are already adopting it, and the technology has been around for thirty years,” he said.  

In September TNB chief executive officer Che Khalib Mohamad Noh said that they are ready to undertake the nuclear project in light of increasing demand for electricity.

The government has set 2021 as the target for the nation’s first nuclear plant, with eight locations shortlisted.

Malaysian Nuclear Agency director-general Daud Mohamad told reporters last month that the government will decide on this by 2012.

The nuclear plant is listed as one of the projects under the Economic Transformation Programme.