Not Based in the US, Nuclear Technology Company Thorcon is Based in Singapore
Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - PT Thorcon Power Indonesia has responded to reports claiming that the United States government does not recognize the nuclear company Thorcon, which has been actively promoting nuclear reactor projects in Indonesia.
The Operations Director of PT Thorcon Power Indonesia, Dhita Karunia Ashari, explained that Thorcon is a global group of molten salt reactor (MSR) technology developers with its headquarters in Singapore.
According to Dhita, its main focus is on developing advanced-generation reactors for implementation in various partner countries, including Indonesia. Thorcon’s MSR technology was developed in the United States.
“Thorcon is a global group of molten salt reactor (MSR) technology developers with its headquarters in Singapore. Its main focus is on developing advanced-generation reactors designed for implementation in various partner countries, including Indonesia,” he said in a written statement to CNBC Indonesia on Thursday (February 26, 2026).
“Thorcon’s MSR technology was developed in the United States. Thorcon has been present in Indonesia since 2018 as a Representative Office,” he added.
The company also has branch offices in Bangka Belitung and employs a number of local people. Regarding the issue of Thorcon not being recognized as an operator in the United States, the company stated that it has not yet begun the licensing process to become an operator in the US.
“The business model being implemented is the development and commercialization of technology, not the operation of power plants in the US. Therefore, the absence of Thorcon’s name on the list of nuclear power plant operators in the United States reflects a difference in business models, not a matter of existence or credibility,” he explained.
Previously, the Chairman of Commission XII of the Indonesian Parliament, Bambang Patijaya, revealed a rather surprising fact about the existence of a US-based nuclear company called Thorcon. According to him, the United States government does not recognize a nuclear company called Thorcon, which has been actively promoting projects in Indonesia.
He revealed this after receiving a visit from the US Ambassador, which included a discussion of the FIRST program, a US government initiative to introduce Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology to several countries.
On that occasion, Bambang then asked for an explanation regarding the existence and activities of Thorcon in Indonesia. He said that the company has been too actively promoting itself, which could potentially cause friction in society.
He then asked the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN) for an explanation regarding the party that has been facilitating Thorcon’s activities in Indonesia. Given that, from the US government itself, Thorcon is not recognized as a nuclear power plant builder or operator.
“In fact, from BAPETEN, who has been facilitating Thorcon all this time. Because after we asked the US Embassy, first, they do not recognize this company as a nuclear power plant builder or operator,” said Bambang in a working meeting with the Acting Head of BAPETEN, Tuesday (February 10, 2026).
According to him, the US government actually recognizes other SMR developers such as NuScale Power, which also has plans to build a nuclear power plant in Indonesia. Bambang also emphasized that the Parliament does not support or reject any particular company.
However, he reminded BAPETEN not to act as an intermediary for foreign parties in facilitating research companies that are not yet ready to develop into developers, so that Indonesia is not used as a pilot project.
“In our opinion, this could become a scandal if BAPETEN facilitates a company that is not competent, which does not have any permits, does not have a license to design, does not have a license to construct, does not have a license to operate, how can it operate, how can it construct if the design is not even clear,” said Bambang.
(ven/wia)