JAKARTA, June 20 — The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) of Indonesia has announced that the first commercial nuclear power plant will commence testing and operation between 2030 and 2034, reported ANTARA News Agency.
"The government has designated nuclear energy as a part of new and renewable energy to achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2060," said BRIN's Nuclear Technology Research Centre head Topan Setiadipura in a statement today.
He said 80 small modular reactor designs are currently being developed globally, one of which is a 40-megawatt thermal power and industrial steam generator called PeLUIt-40, jointly developed by BRIN and several national institutions.
The national policy provides an opportunity for the PeLUIt-40 technology to contribute to the energy or electricity sector in Indonesia.
Setiadipura said that from 2030 to 2034, especially in 2032, the initial target of production of 250 megawatts is an opportunity for small modular reactors to enter the electricity or energy market in Indonesia.
"This will be a key factor in achieving the national energy transition," he said.
Two strategies will be used to realise small modular reactors as the first nuclear power plant technology in Indonesia. The first is a collaboration with international vendors to implement the technology.
Currently, several small modular reactor vendors are establishing communication with parties in Indonesia for initial agreements. Some have carried out further techno-economic studies related to the implementation of certain small modular reactor technologies.
Moreover, some international vendors have already opened offices in Indonesia and are carrying out the stages of development and implementation of small modular reactors.
The second strategy entails collaborating to encourage national technology development through strategic cooperation with international parties. One of these national technologies is PeLUIt-40 through co-development cooperation and implementation in Indonesia.
"Both strategies require progressive collaboration between small modular reactor vendors at the global level and energy companies in Indonesia," Setiadipura said.
The PeLUIt-40 has been designed by BRIN since 2021 as a continuation of development by the National Atomic Energy Agency before joining BRIN. PeLUIt-40 is a gas-cooled, ultra-high-temperature reactor.
— Bernama
