Thorcon to build n uclear power plant at Kelasa Island, Indonesia. (Photo: ThorCon)
In its push for net-zero emissions by 2050, the Indonesian government has announced plans to construct at least 20 nuclear power plants, with the first project expected to be awarded to US nuclear developer ThorCon. The plant will be located on Kelasa Island in Bangka Belitung province and is slated to deliver a prototype reactor by 2028.
Indonesia pushes for low-carbon nuclear energy
Given the limited potential for renewable energy in Indonesia's base-load capacity, nuclear energy is seen as a viable solution to meet the country's substantial low-carbon energy demand. ThorCon's nuclear facility will utilize a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR), expected to provide 500 MW of low-carbon electricity.
Bob Effendi, Chief Operating Officer of ThorCon’s Indonesian subsidiary, mentioned that West Kalimantan is also a potential site for the plant. However, Bangka Belitung was chosen due to its rich tin resources, as thorium is a byproduct of the tin production process.
" For the electronics industry, rare earth elements are not new, but [their potential] has yet to be realized for the economy in this region," Effendi noted.
The construction of a nuclear power plant is a costly endeavor, with ThorCon estimating a total investment of $1.06 billion for the new facility. The prototype reactor will be built by South Korea and delivered by sea to Indonesia.
With its rich tin resources, ThorCon selected Bangka Belitung province as the location for its nuclear power plant project. (Chart: Wikimedia Commons)
Clear nuclear power demand attracts countries to invest
Prior to this, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, stated in an investment coordination meeting on Dec. 12 that state-owned electricity company PLN has already partnered with American and Japanese companies to develop small modular reactors (SMRs) with a capacity of less than 300 MW in Indonesia.
In the next 15 years, Indonesia aims to increase its electricity supply by 100 GW, with renewable energy accounting for 75% and nuclear power making up 5%. Due to this clear demand, several countries, including South Korea, Russia, France, and China, have expressed interest in collaborating with Indonesia on nuclear power development.
Micro or small modular nuclear reactors hold the potential to address the issue of insufficient low-carbon energy supply. However, Dinita Setyawati, Southeast Asia electricity policy analyst at the UK energy think tank Ember, cautioned that relying solely on small nuclear reactors will not be sufficient to shift the country’s energy structure dominated by fossil fuels. Deploying wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources is still necessary to reverse the current situation.
Source: Jakarta Post(1), (2), Indonesia Business Post、ThorCon
