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Road still long to Indonesian nuclear power, experts say
Regardless of whether nuclear power is suitable for Indonesia's energy transition, observerss appear to concur that building a thorium-based nuclear plant in the country will require more time to develop the relevant infrastructure and regulations, as well as the technologies for processing the radioactive metal.
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ThorCon International's proposed 500-megawatt floating nuclear power plant in Indonesia appears in this artist’s rendering. The facility is designed to run on thorium, a radioactive metal that is more readily available than uranium, but for which the technology is less developed. (Handout/Thorcon International)
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ndonesia has decided to move ahead with plans to develop nuclear power some six decades after launching its first research reactor in Bandung, West Java, but experts believe safely deploying nuclear technology in the country will take a lot of time.
Nuclear energy remains a divisive topic in the world’s energy transition. Some countries, notably Germany, have abandoned it as a low-carbon power source, while others like China and India plan to scale up their nuclear power sector.
Indonesia sees nuclear power as “the last resort” of nationwide electrification, as stated in Government Regulation No. 79/2014 on the National Energy Policy (KEN). This is about to change, however, as the government moves to revise the rule to accommodate small-scale nuclear power projects.
Fabby Tumiwa, executive director of the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), said the government would need to establish new and rigorous governance mechanisms for oversight of the nuclear value chain to ensure safety and security.
“Nuclear accident liability regulation, as well as a risk framework and mitigation schemes, remain ambiguous to date. These are crucial moving forward,” he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, noting that Southeast Asia’s largest economy had a long way to go to generate nuclear energy.
“For the time being, [stakeholders] must focus on improving governance to stave off big risks in the future,” he stressed.
Presidential Regulation No. 74/2012 on liability for nuclear damage sets out the maximum liability for nuclear power plant operators and obligates them to obtain financial guarantees to cover monetary compensation.
