Small Modular Reactors Offer Clean Energy Future; Nuclear Technology Already Powers Medical, Agricultural, and Military Applications

Key summary

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are emerging as a clean energy solution for achieving Net Zero Emissions. Professor Dr. Jesada Den Duangboriphan of Chulalongkorn University explains that nuclear technology is already integral to daily life, including medical diagnostics like X-rays and CT scans, agricultural crop improvement through radiation-induced genetic modification (e.g., rice varieties KD6, KD10, KD15), environmental monitoring of waste incineration emissions, and food irradiation to eliminate pathogens without altering nutritional value. Additionally, US Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carriers USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George H.W. Bush visited Thailand in September and October 2026, utilizing Westinghouse A4W reactors that allow for extended operation without refueling.