Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – A private power generation company from the United States (US), namely PT ThorCon Power Indonesia, revealed that the company is still waiting for President Joko Widodo’s (Jokowi) blessing to build a thorium-based Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN) in Indonesia.

Chief Operating Officer of ThorCon Power Indonesia, Bob S. Effendi, said that his party is still waiting for the issuance of a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) as a legal umbrella for the construction of nuclear power plants in Indonesia.

He explained that basically there are provisions for nuclear power plant construction business permits in Indonesia, namely based on Government Regulation (PP) No. 5 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Risk-Based Business Licensing. In this PP, KBLI 43294 regarding nuclear installations is mentioned.

“The government has granted a nuclear power plant business permit. However, it needs a Presidential Decree as a legal umbrella for the project, what is more important is the publication of the Revised KEN (National Energy Policy) and the formation of NEPIO (Nuclear Energy Program Implementation Organization),” said Bob to CNBC Indonesia, Monday (23 /10/2023).

Bob said that to be able to build a domestic nuclear power plant, his party does not need to wait for the New Energy and Renewable Energy Bill (EBET) to be passed. This is because there are already regulations covering the development of domestic nuclear power plants, namely Government Regulation (PP) Number 5 of 2021.

“(NPP construction) does not need to wait for the EBET Bill because based on PP 5 of 2021 there is already KBLI 43294 concerning nuclear installations,” he added.

Even though he is still waiting for the Presidential Regulation regarding the construction of a Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN), he is still optimistic that the nuclear power plant that will be built by ThorCon will be the first nuclear power plant in Indonesia and is targeted to start commercial operations in 2030.

Bob also said that in November 2024, his party will start the first steel cutting which will be carried out at the South Korean shipyard.

After that, Bob said that in 2027, the NPP unit will arrive in Indonesia. The location chosen was in the Bangka Belitung Islands. Apart from that, the operational permit for the Nuclear Energy Supervisory Agency (Bapeten) is targeted to be obtained in 2029.

“Commercial operations target 2030. First steel cutting “(first steel cutter) at the shipyard in South Korea, November 2024, the nuclear power plant unit will arrive at the location in 2027, BAPETEN’s operating permit target is 2029,” he explained.

He revealed that the targeted timeline for the process of building a domestic nuclear power plant is still being discussed further with Bapeten.

Bob explained that in the future the NPP, which is predicted to be the first NPP candidate in Indonesia, will have a capacity of 500 Mega Watt (MW) with an estimated investment value of IDR 13 trillion.

The raw material that will be used for the nuclear power plant is thorium. He said, for the initial stage, his party would import thorium first.

“You need all the fuel import Formerly. “But in the future a fuel factory will be built,” he said.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(wia)