Three Experts Say Government Can Consider Building Nuclear Power Plants
Three experts from several Indonesian universities believe the government, through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, can consider building nuclear power plants.
Energy expert from the Balikpapan College of Oil and Gas Technology, Andi Jumardi, explained that nuclear power plants can be considered by the government as nuclear energy is regarded as a highly economical energy source of the future. “Especially for a country with a large population like Indonesia, because the cost is relatively cheaper compared to fossil energy,” Andi said in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Sunday.
Furthermore, he believes Indonesia is capable of developing nuclear energy because it has competent human resources. “Based on research I have conducted, our human resources are highly competent for nuclear energy development,” he said.
Meanwhile, he addressed concerns about a repeat of the Fukushima nuclear accident by saying that technology continues to advance to anticipate similar risks in the future.
Next, energy expert from the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology, Ary Krishna Putra, said the government needs to develop nuclear energy because it is superior to conventional energy sources. “Nuclear power plants are superior in terms of energy density. With very little fuel, we can generate large and stable amounts of electricity,” he said.
Additionally, he noted that nuclear power plants are a clean energy source in terms of emissions and are relevant to national emission reduction targets. “In terms of process, nuclear is clean. There are no carbon emissions, because there is only heat to spin the turbines,” he said.
Nevertheless, he acknowledged that developing nuclear power plants in Indonesia faces challenges in site selection, infrastructure readiness, and integration with industrial zones.
Meanwhile, professor of Power System Operations and Electricity Markets at Hasanuddin University, Prof. Muhammad Bachtiar Nappu, said the government can consider building nuclear power plants in the form of small modular reactors (SMRs). According to him, SMR technology is more suitable for Indonesia as an archipelagic nation because its capacity is smaller and more flexible compared to conventional nuclear power plants. He explained that modular reactors can be built in phases according to regional needs, particularly to strengthen electrification in remote areas.
“It’s better to build small ones rather than conventional nuclear power plants. Because conventional nuclear power plants have a minimum capacity of 1,000 megawatts, but small ones can be, for example, 50 MW,” he said.