Indonesia eyes nuclear option in bid to grow energy and cut emissions
Indonesia is hoping going nuclear can help it meet soaring energy demand while taming emissions, but it faces serious challenges on its goal of a first small modular reactor by 2032.
Its first experiment with nuclear energy dates to February 1965, when then-President Sukarno inaugurated a test reactor. Sixty years later, Southeast Asia's largest economy has three research reactors but no nuclear power plants for electricity.
Abundant reserves of polluting coal have so far met the enormous archipelago's energy needs.
But "nuclear will be necessary to constrain the rise of and eventually reduce emissions," said Philip Andrews-Speed, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has promised to ensure energy security while meeting a pledge to eliminate coal-powered electricity generation within 15 years.
Coal accounts for around two-thirds of electricity generation in Indonesia, which targets net-zero by 2050.
The government wants 40-54 gigawatt of the 400 GW it projects will be generated nationwide by 2060 to come from nuclear. It hopes to kickstart capacity with a reactor on Borneo "by 2030 or 2032," according to Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia.
It will be a small modular reactor, which has a lower capacity than traditional reactors but is easier to assemble and transport.
The total number of plants planned has not been detailed, but the government has begun scouting locations — a challenge for a country located on the seismically active "Ring of Fire."
"Currently, 29 potential locations have been identified for the construction of nuclear power plants," Dadan Kusdiana, acting secretary-general of the National Energy Council (DEN), said.
Staff monitor a nuclear reactor at the National Research and Innovation Agency in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. |
AFP-Jiji
All are outside the country's biggest island of Java, in line with government goals to develop the archipelago's center and east. The sites would also put facilities near energy-hungry mining sites.
While Japan's quake and tsunami-triggered Fukushima disaster has stalled nuclear progress in some parts of Asia, proponents say nuclear can be done safely in Indonesia.
"North Java, East Sumatra, West Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan are considered as low-risk zones," said Andang Widi Harto, a nuclear engineering researcher at Yogyakarta University.
"These low seismic risk regions also coincide with low volcanic risk regions," he added.
Countries from Vietnam to Belgium are also growing or retaining nuclear capacity as they struggle to meet net-zero goals to combat climate change. While Indonesia may not be alone in the nuclear pivot, it has little domestic expertise to draw on.
It will look abroad for help, said Kusdiana, citing "serious interest" from providers including Russia's Rosatom, China's CNNC and Candu Canada.
The Indonesian subsidiary of U.S. company ThorCon is already seeking a license for an experimental "molten-salt reactor." It wants to use shipyards to build small reactors that will be towed to coastal or offshore locations and "ballasted" to the seabed.
Kusdiana said DEN has also visited France's EDF SA to explore possible cooperation.
French President Emmanuel Macron is due in Indonesia this week as part of a Southeast Asia tour.
EDF said there were currently "no discussions under way on nuclear with Indonesia," though its CEO Bernard Fontana will be part of Macron's delegation.
A second French firm, Orano, also said it had not discussed collaboration with Indonesia.
Given the challenges, which also include connectivity issues, waste disposal and potential domestic opposition, some experts warn Indonesia's nuclear timeline is overambitious.
"I would join others who are skeptical that Indonesia can deploy nuclear power at any significant scale in the next ten years," said Andrews-Speed at the Oxford Institute.
Environmentalists would like to see Indonesia focus more on meeting its clean energy targets with renewable sources.
While hydroelectric accounts for over 7% of Indonesia's electricity generation, solar and wind contribute tiny amounts and could be significantly ramped up, experts say.
Cost and "high corruption" are also obstacles, said Dwi Sawung, energy and urban campaign manager at NGO WALHI.
"There is not enough left in the government and PLN (state electricity company) budget," he said.
The government has not said how much it expects the nuclear ramp-up to cost, but Kusdiana insists the money will be there.
"Various potential international investors ... have shown interest," including Russia, the United States, Denmark, South Korea and China, he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
a day ago
- Japan Times
Israel's attacks on Iran hint at a bigger goal: regime change
Israel's surprise attack on Iran had an obvious goal of sharply disrupting Tehran's nuclear program and lengthening the time it would need to develop an atomic weapon. But the scale of the attacks, Israel's choice of targets, and its politicians' own words suggest another, longer-term objective: toppling the regime itself. The strikes early on Friday hit not just Iran's nuclear facilities and missile factories but also key figures in the country's military chain of command and its nuclear scientists, blows that appear aimed at diminishing Iran's credibility both at home and among its allies in the region — factors that could destabilize the Iranian leadership, experts said. "One assumes that one of the reasons that Israel is doing that is that they're hoping to see regime change," said Michael Singh of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former senior official under President George W. Bush. "It would like to see the people of Iran rise up," he said, adding that the limited civilian casualties in the initial round of attacks also spoke to a broader aim. In a video address shortly after Israeli fighter jets began striking Iranian nuclear facilities and air defense systems, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, appealed to the Iranian people directly. Israel's actions against Iran's ally Hezbollah had led to a new government in Lebanon and the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, he said. The Iranian people had an opportunity too: "I believe that the day of your liberation is near. And when that happens, the great friendship between our two ancient peoples will flourish once again," Netanyahu said. But despite the damage inflicted by the unprecedented Israeli attack, decades of enmity toward Israel — not only among Iran's rulers but its majority-Shiite population — raises questions about the prospect for fomenting enough public support to oust an entrenched theocratic leadership in Tehran backed by loyal security forces. Singh cautioned that no one knows what conditions would be required for an opposition to coalesce in Iran. Friday's assault was the first phase of what Israel said would be a prolonged operation. Experts said they expected Israel would continue to go after key Iranian nuclear infrastructure to delay Tehran's march to a nuclear bomb — even if Israel on its own does not have the capability to eliminate Iran's nuclear program. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu points to a red line he drew on a graphic of a bomb used to represent Iran's nuclear program as he addresses the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. Headquarters in New York in September 2012. | REUTERS Iran says its nuclear program is for civilian purposes only. The U.N. nuclear watchdog concluded this week that it was in violation of its obligations under the global Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel's first salvos targeted senior figures in Iran's military and scientific establishment, took out much of the country's air defense system and destroyed the above-ground enrichment plant at Iran's nuclear site. "As a democratic country, the State of Israel believes that it is up to the people of a country to shape their national politics, and choose their government," the Israeli Embassy in Washington said. "The future of Iran can only be determined by the Iranian people." Netanyahu has called for a change in Iran's government, including in September. U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, while acquiescing to Israel's strikes and helping its close ally fend off Iran's retaliatory missile barrage, has given no indication that it seeks regime change in Tehran. The White House and Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York also did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the matter. Israel has much further to go if it is to dismantle Iran's nuclear facilities, and military analysts have always said it might be impossible to totally disable the well-fortified sites dotted around Iran. The Israeli government has also cautioned that Iran's nuclear program could not be entirely destroyed by means of a military campaign. "There's no way to destroy a nuclear program by military means," Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told Israel's Channel 13 TV. The military campaign could, however, create conditions for a deal with the United States that would thwart the nuclear program. Analysts also remain skeptical that Israel will have the munitions needed to obliterate Iran's nuclear project on its own. "Israel probably cannot take out completely the nuclear project on its own without the American participation," Sima Shine, a former chief Mossad analyst and now a researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, told reporters on Friday. While setting back Tehran's nuclear program would have value for Israel, the hope for regime change could explain why Israel went after so many senior military figures, potentially throwing the Iranian security establishment into confusion and chaos. "These people were very vital, very knowledgeable, many years in their jobs, and they were a very important component of the stability of the regime, specifically the security stability of the regime," said Shine. "In the ideal world, Israel would prefer to see a change of regime, no question about that," she said. But such a change would come with risk, said Jonathan Panikoff, a former U.S. deputy national intelligence officer for the Middle East who is now at the Atlantic Council. If Israel succeeds in removing Iran's leadership, there is no guarantee the successor that emerges would not be even more hard-line in pursuit of conflict with Israel. "For years, many in Israel have insisted that regime change in Iran would prompt a new and better day — that nothing could be worse than the current theocratic regime," Panikoff said. "But history tells us it can always be worse."
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Japan Times
Japan condemns Israeli strikes against Iran, urges restraint
The Japanese government on Friday condemned Israeli strikes on nuclear and military facilities in Iran. Tokyo is concerned that further instability in the Middle East will have significant negative effects on the supply of oil. Japan relies on the region for over 90% of its crude oil imports. Israel's move is expected to be a key topic at the summit of the Group of Seven major democracies in Canada, which begins Monday. "It's absolutely unacceptable that military means were used amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution" to the Iranian nuclear issue, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters. "This is extremely regrettable and we strongly condemn it." Regarding retaliation from Iran, Ishiba said, "Any action that could escalate the situation should be avoided," urging the relevant countries to exercise restraint. The prime minister also said he will clearly state Japan's position at the summit and work with G7 partners to calm the situation. At a meeting of the central government's National Security Council, he instructed relevant ministers to gather information, fully protect Japanese residents in Iran and cooperate with related countries to calm the situation and peacefully solve the Iranian nuclear issue. There have been no reports of Japanese casualties, the Foreign Ministry said. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani instructed his ministry and the Self-Defense Forces to make maximum efforts to secure the safety of Japanese nationals in Iran. He also called for measures to make sure that SDF members dispatched to the Middle East remain safe. Japan has SDF personnel in the Middle East for missions such as anti-piracy operations off Somalia and elsewhere and the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Peninsula, an organization monitoring the ceasefire between Egypt and Israel. It is extremely rare for the Japanese government to condemn Israel, which, like Japan, is a close ally of the United States. Tokyo's message reflects an acute sense of crisis in Japan over the situation, which one government official expects will inevitably escalate, because the attack also caused civilian casualties in Iran. Japan has a long history of amicable relations with Iran and has been supporting U.S.-Iran talks on Tehran's nuclear capabilities. A senior Foreign Ministry official said it was necessary for the Japanese government to send a stronger message than before because Israel's move was a unilateral preemptive attack.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Japan Times
Cambodia orders troops on 'alert' in Thai border spat
Cambodia ordered troops to stay on "full alert" and banned Thai dramas on television on Friday in an ongoing border spat between the Southeast Asian neighbors. Phnom Penh also shut off internet connections routed through Thailand on the eve of a meeting between the two sides aimed at defusing tensions following deadly clashes last month. Violence flared on May 28 in an area known as the Emerald Triangle, where the borders of Cambodia, Thailand and Laos meet, with one Cambodian soldier killed. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet posted on Facebook late Thursday that the country was disconnecting all internet bandwidth from Thailand, leaving some users complaining of slow speeds. The ministries of information and cultures also ordered television stations and cinemas to stop airing Thai TV series. Influential former leader Hun Sen — Hun Manet's father — urged the government on Friday to halt "imports of Thai goods into the Cambodian market" if Thailand refused to lift restrictions imposed on border checkpoints in recent days. He told troops to be on alert, writing on Facebook: "All armed forces must remain on full alert 24 hours a day, ready to respond and defend in the event of aggression." Hun Sen also urged authorities in provinces near the border be prepared to evacuate residents to safer areas. Cambodian authorities also announced that the popular Daung-Ban Laem border crossing with Thailand would be closed indefinitely from Friday. The Cambodian immigration department said the measure was to keep "security and safety for people." In another Facebook post, Hun Sen encouraged Thai farmers to protest against their military. He said Cambodia would reopen the border crossing when all border restrictions imposed by the Thai military were lifted. Cambodian and Thai officials will meet in Phnom Penh on Saturday to discuss the border dispute. The row dates back to the drawing of the 800-kilometer (500-mile) frontier, largely done during the French occupation of Indochina. The region has seen sporadic violence since 2008, resulting in at least 28 deaths. Hun Manet announced earlier this month that Cambodia would file a complaint with the International Court of Justice over four disputed border areas, including the site of the latest clash. The ICJ ruled in 2013 that a disputed area next to Preah Vihear temple belonged to Cambodia, but Thailand says it does not accept the court's jurisdiction. On Sunday, armies from both countries agreed to reposition their soldiers in the site of the latest clash to avoid confrontations. Thailand has closed some border crossings and tightened border controls with Cambodia in recent days.
