Several Southeast Asian countries are reviving long-dormant nuclear power programs as they face mounting pressure to meet surging energy demands while reducing emissions and ensuring energy security amid regional conflicts.

Five of the 11 Association of Southeast Asian Nations members - Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines - are actively pursuing nuclear power development. Vietnam is building two nuclear plants backed by Russian state corporation Rosatom, while Indonesia aims to construct two small modular reactors by 2034. Thailand has set a target of adding 600 megawatts of nuclear capacity by 2037, and Malaysia revived its nuclear program with a 2031 target for bringing atomic energy online.

The renewed interest is driven largely by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence-focused data centers across the region. Malaysia alone has more than 500 operational data centers, with another 300 under construction and approximately 1,140 planned. A standard AI data center consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, according to the International Energy Agency. Southeast Asia is projected to account for a quarter of global energy demand growth by 2035.

Analysts note that ongoing conflicts in Iran and the Middle East have added urgency to the nuclear push by highlighting the vulnerability of regional energy supplies and causing oil price volatility. The Philippines Nuclear Research Institute's Alvie Asuncion-Astronomo said the surge in crude oil prices has raised motivation for countries to accelerate nuclear efforts.

The region has never produced nuclear energy despite long-held atomic ambitions, but could see nearly half its countries operating nuclear power by the 2030s if current plans proceed. Even nations without firm nuclear plans, including Cambodia, Singapore and Brunei, have signaled interest in exploring atomic energy options.

Despite the momentum, experts caution about nuclear power risks, including safety concerns, waste management and supply chain issues. Public resistance persists following major nuclear accidents at Chernobyl in 1986 and Fukushima in 2011, though the global push to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 has gained support from nearly 40 nations including the United States, Japan, South Korea and China.