Thailand - World Nuclear Outlook Report
Nuclear policy and outlook
Thailand does not currently have nuclear power plants but has a long history of nuclear research and development. In its draft Power Development Plan 2024-2037 the Thai Ministry of Energy proposed commissioning two 300 MWe SMRs by 2037, one in the north of the country, and one in the south.
The draft PDP was never approved by the cabinet and in September 2026, the Ministry of Energy moved on to a successor framework – the draft Power Development Plan 2026 (PDP 2026), covering 2026-2050. All four options being prepared for the plan include a first 300 MWe SMR in the power system by 2037 and total SMR capacity of about 9000 MWe by 2050, although the final scale of nuclear generation has not been settled.
Several countries are cooperating with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) on SMRs and framework agreements with China, South Korea and the USA have been signed.
In September 2026 EGAT signed a grant agreement with the US Trade and Development Agency for a feasibility study on about 600 MWe of US SMR technology. The study will help assess potential sites, costs and regulatory steps, and will consider designs from seven US companies: GE Hitachi, Holtec, Kairos Power, NuScale, TerraPower, Westinghouse and X-energy.
Also in September 2026, the Nuclear Energy for Peace Commission, Thailand’s national nuclear policy body, approved a regulatory policy framework for SMRs. In addition, the country’s nuclear regulator has said it is preparing regulatory infrastructure for a longer-term scenario of up to 9000 MWe of SMR capacity.
Table Th.1 Contributions to total capacity projection in 2050 (gross)
| 60 year operation (MWe) | 80 year operation (MWe) | Currently under construction capacity (MWe) | Planned capacity (MWe) | Proposed capacity (MWe) | Potential capacity (MWe) | Government capacity target (MWe) | Additional capacity* required to meet government target (MWe) | Total capacity (MWe) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | - | 600 | 600 | - | 600 |
| *Capacity additional to operable, under construction, planned, proposed and potential capacities required to meet the government target. | ||||||||
Readiness Assessment
Thailand has moved nuclear energy back into national planning, with SMRs included in every option of the draft PDP 2026 and a regulatory policy framework approved in September 2026. No firm decision has been made to build a plant.
| Country Category | Candidate |
|---|---|
| Policy Framework Readiness | Low Nuclear has returned strongly to government planning; the draft PDP 2026 includes SMRs in all four options and an SMR regulatory policy framework was approved in September 2026. However, the new plan has not yet been approved. |
| Institutional & Infrastructure Readiness | Low-Moderate Thailand has an established regulator, nuclear legislation, research reactor experience, safeguards arrangements and previous IAEA infrastructure work. SMR-specific regulation, workforce capability and licensing capacity are still being developed. |
| Programme & Project Readiness | Low EGAT has established a dedicated SMR unit, is undertaking pre-feasibility studies and international cooperation, and has secured US funding for a feasibility study, but there is no selected site or vendor. |
| Target Achievability | Very Low The draft PDP 2026 objective of a first 300 MWe SMR by 2037 and about 9000 MWe by 2050 is substantially ahead of present project maturity. |