by Nurul Fitri Ramadhani
JAKARTA, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is actively pushing forward with the development of its nuclear power plants, drafting and issuing relevant regulations, while seeking foreign investors to support the initiative.
Under the 2025-2034 Electric Power Supply Business Plan, managed by state-owned electricity company PT PLN, nuclear power is identified as one of the new energy sources to be developed. In the first phase, Indonesia plans to build nuclear power plant projects with a combined capacity of 500 megawatts (MW).
"By 2034 at the latest, we must have nuclear power in the energy sector. We must build power plants. Indeed, the model we are building is small and medium, perhaps in the range of 300 MW to 500 MW. This is what we are pushing for," Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said recently in Jakarta.
According to Eniya Listiani Dewi, the ministry's director general of new renewable energy and energy conservation, the first nuclear power projects will be built in two locations, Sumatra and Kalimantan, each with a planned capacity of 250 MW. In June, Indonesia also discovered uranium reserves totaling 24,112 tons in Melawi Regency, West Kalimantan Province.
According to Indonesia's National Electricity General Plan, the government is targeting nuclear capacity to reach 35 gigawatts by 2060. If using land-based models, this could mean the building of over 30 reactor units across the country.
This goal aligns with President Prabowo Subianto's broader commitment to enhance energy security while phasing out coal-fired power plants over the next 15 years. Indonesia is also aiming for net-zero emissions by 2050, ten years earlier than the current national target. However, as of now, coal still accounts for approximately two-thirds of its electricity generation.
Yet establishing nuclear power plants is no simple task and international cooperation is needed to achieve the bold vision.
Bahlil Lahadalia said that while the cooperation model is still under review, several countries have already expressed interest in investing in Indonesia's nuclear projects.
"Indonesia is open to any country to invest," he said, adding, "the investment must be mutually beneficial."
Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Yuliot Tanjung added that Indonesia has already signed memoranda of understanding with several countries.
The next step, he explained, is to evaluate the nuclear technologies used in these countries. "So, we'll see later which technology is more advanced and whether we are ready to adopt that," he said.
Rohadi Awaludin, a board member of the Indonesian Scientists and Technologists Society, emphasized that Indonesia has a solid foundation for nuclear development, both in human resources and raw material availability.
"Nuclear power plants are complex systems. Building one is a challenging goal. To be able to build a nuclear power plant, we need a systematic and measurable roadmap," said Awaludin. ■
