Sri Lanka is evaluating the potential role of nuclear energy in meeting its future electricity requirements, with safety, security and international safeguards identified as key priorities, Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena has said.
The Science and Technology Minister made these remarks while representing Sri Lanka at the Sixth International Ministerial Conference on Nuclear Energy, organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Incheon, South Korea.
Minister Abeysena attended the conference alongside Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board Prof. Tushara Ratnayake and a Sri Lankan delegation.
Addressing the conference, the Minister said Sri Lanka was committed to developing a safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable electricity system and was examining whether nuclear energy could contribute to achieving these objectives.
He emphasised that the present government’s intention was not simply to introduce nuclear power, but to determine whether it could deliver tangible benefits to the country and support the development of a reliable, low-carbon electricity supply, the Ministry of Science and Technology said in a statement.
The Minister also highlighted the importance of evidence-based decision-making, strong institutional frameworks and international cooperation in shaping Sri Lanka’s long-term energy strategy.
He expressed the expectation that international partners would support Sri Lanka’s ongoing nuclear energy study and planning programme.
The conference brought together ministers, policymakers, senior government officials and nuclear energy experts to discuss the contribution of nuclear power to meeting growing clean energy demand, strengthening energy security, improving the resilience of energy systems and advancing sustainable development.
Discussions also focused on key challenges and opportunities associated with the development and deployment of nuclear energy.
IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi participated in the conference, which also coincided with the release of the agency’s report titled ‘Global Nuclear Power Development Outlook’.