Island Nations Can't Build Reactors.

Singapore generates over 95% of its electricity from imported natural gas. The Philippines burns coal for more than 60% of its power. Britain, an island nation of 67 million, imports electricity from six countries through nine subsea cables. These nations share a common constraint: limited land, growing demand, and a shrinking window to decarbonise.

The conventional response would be to build nuclear reactors domestically. However, island geography complicates reactor siting, cooling water management, and emergency planning. A different strategy is emerging. Rather than building reactors, several island nations are choosing to import nuclear generated electricity through submarine power cables.

Singapore has raised its clean electricity import target to 6 GW by 2035. This represents roughly one third of the city state's projected electricity demand. The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has granted conditional approvals to ten projects from Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Australia, totalling 7.35 GW of import capacity.

Construction of submarine power cables from Sarawak to Singapore is set to begin in 2026. Sembcorp Utilities, working with Sarawak Energy, received conditional approval to import 1 GW of low carbon electricity, primarily hydropower. This project alone would displace a meaningful share of Singapore's gas fired generation.

Meanwhile, SunCable's Australia to Asia PowerLink (AAPowerLink) proposes what would be the world's longest submarine power cable. Spanning approximately 4,300 km from Australia's Northern Territory to Singapore, it would deliver 1.75 GW of solar generated electricity. SunCable targets a final investment decision in 2027. The project carries an estimated cost exceeding £31 billion ($40 billion, €38 billion).

Britain already demonstrates what submarine power imports look like at scale. The country's interconnector capacity reached 10.5 GW in 2024, connecting to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, and Ireland. The UK government aims to increase this to at least 18 GW by 2030.

The 2 GW IFA interconnector between Kent and Normandy has operated since 1986. Much of the electricity flowing through it comes from France's nuclear fleet. In 2006, France supplied power equivalent to three million British homes through this single cable. Britain was a net importer of 33.4 TWh in 2024, with interconnectors providing up to 19% of daily generation during peak demand.

Ofgem approved new projects in 2025 that would add over 6 GW of capacity. These include connections to Germany and offshore wind hybrid assets linking to the Netherlands and Belgium. Britain's approach proves that island nations can effectively import nuclear generated baseload power (reliable 24/7 electricity) at continental scale.

The Philippines, an archipelago of over 110 million people, is pursuing a dual strategy. In September 2025, President Marcos signed the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act, establishing PhilATOM (Philippine Atomic Energy Commission) as the country's independent nuclear regulator. The Philippine Energy Plan targets 1,200 MWe of domestic nuclear capacity by 2032, rising to 4,800 MWe by 2050.

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) began a feasibility study in January 2025 on rehabilitating the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP). The 621 MW plant was completed in 1985 but never operated. The Department of Energy has identified 16 potential sites for new nuclear projects.

For a 7,641 island archipelago, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) offer particular appeal. Factory assembled reactors suit remote island grids that cannot support large conventional plants. Manila Electric Company (Meralco), the country's largest utility, has partnered with both EDF of France and Ultra Safe Nuclear Corporation to explore deployment options.

The global submarine power cable market was valued at approximately £15.4 billion ($19.6 billion, €18.7 billion) in 2024. It is projected to reach £26.5 billion ($33.6 billion, €32 billion) by 2033, growing at roughly 6.2% annually.

These costs compare favourably against domestic reactor construction for island nations. Hinkley Point C exceeds £32 billion ($40 billion, €38 billion) for 3.2 GW. A submarine interconnector delivering comparable power from existing foreign nuclear fleets costs a fraction, whilst avoiding the 10 to 15 year construction timeline.

Cable technology continues to advance. High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) interconnectors now span over 700 km operationally. Nexans has demonstrated cables at depths exceeding 1,500 metres. Transmission losses over thousands of kilometres remain minimal.

Data centre power demand is projected to grow 175% by 2030, according to Goldman Sachs Research. In Singapore, Dublin, and other island or constrained markets, power shortages are already delaying new data centre projects.

Hyperscalers are responding with nuclear strategies. Microsoft signed a 20 year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Constellation Energy for the restarted Three Mile Island reactor. Google partnered with Kairos Power for SMR development. Amazon has invested over £15.7 billion ($20 billion, €19 billion) in nuclear adjacent data centre infrastructure.

For island markets, the question becomes acute. Singapore cannot easily site a reactor within its 733 square kilometre territory. Imported clean electricity via submarine cables offers an alternative pathway. The convergence of hyperscaler demand and submarine cable technology could reshape how island nations access nuclear generated baseload power.

Two distinct strategies are emerging. "Behind the border" approaches involve national scale electricity imports through interconnectors. "Behind the meter" strategies place generation assets directly at the point of consumption, typically co located with data centres.

For island nations, behind the border offers faster deployment. Each new cable delivers power within three to five years. Behind the meter nuclear using SMRs remains five to ten years from commercial scale. Singapore pursues imports for near term decarbonisation while studying SMRs for longer term independence.

Singapore's import strategy feeds a broader vision. The ASEAN Power Grid (APG) envisions interconnected electricity markets across Southeast Asia. Since June 2022, Singapore has imported hydropower from Laos through Thailand and Malaysia, demonstrating multi country transmission. This model could be replicated for nuclear generated electricity as ASEAN nations develop reactor programmes.

For nuclear operators, the submarine cable buildout creates new revenue opportunities. Existing nuclear fleets in France, South Korea, and potentially Vietnam could sell excess generation to energy hungry island markets. For hyperscalers, understanding submarine cable routes and capacities becomes as important as tracking reactor construction timelines.

Our satellite monitoring and geospatial analysis at Vistergy tracks both reactor sites and submarine cable infrastructure. The intersection of these two datasets reveals where nuclear generated electricity will flow, and which island markets will benefit first. Explore our interactive intelligence platform at atlas.vistergy.com.

Island nations face a deceptively simple choice. Build reactors at home, where geography and regulation create barriers. Or import nuclear electricity through submarine cables. The evidence suggests most will do both. Singapore leads on imports. The Philippines leads on domestic build. Britain demonstrates the mature end state. The common thread: submarine power cables are becoming as strategically important as the reactors themselves.

Next week: We examine the SMR paradox, where 2030 demand collides with 2035 supply timelines.

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