Government And PLN Prepare Nuclear Power Plants As Reliable, Clean And Affordable Energy Solutions

PT PLN (Persero) together with the government are committed to presenting Nuclear Power Plants (PLTN) in Indonesia to present reliable, clean and affordable energy solutions.

The Director General of Electricity at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Jisman P Hutajulu, assessed that nuclear is the energy balance to ensure the reliability of the electricity system.

In the future, he said that when people receive it, regulations are ready, and technology will mature, space for nuclear development will be even greater.

"In the latest National Energy Policy (KEN) that has been approved by the DPR RI, nuclear is placed as an energy balancer," said Jisman in his statement, Sunday, August 23.

In line with that, in the documents of the National Electricity General Plan (RUKN) and the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) of PLN 2025-2034, the PLTN development plan has been declared explicitly.

Meanwhile, according to the PLN RUPTL, two units of PLTN with a capacity of 2x250 MW each will be built.

However, Jisman emphasized that PLTN development cannot be carried out in a hurry. Regulations must be carefully drawn up, the Nuclear Energy Program Implementing Organization (NEPIO) organization needs to be formed immediately, and SOEs are involved so that management remains under state control.

Meanwhile, the Director of Technology, Engineering, and Sustainability of PLN, Evy Haryadi said that nuclear energy is the most ideal solution because it is able to answer the energy trilema by presenting reliable, clean, and affordable supplies.

"PLTN produces stable electrical energy the same as coal plants, low production costs, and also clean so that PLTN meets all aspects of the energy trilema, namely reliable, clean, and affordable," said Evy.

Evy explained that before being listed in the 2025-2034 Electric Power Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) PLN had reviewed the implementation of PLTN with several countries that had succeeded in implementing nuclear energy.

"So we invite all parties, be it ministries, universities that can help us from the side of knowledge, and provider providers, we also encourage us to collaborate," said Evy.

Head of the Nuclear Energy Research Organization of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Syaiful Bakhri, said that the management of nuclear waste is easier when compared to processing waste located in Bantar Gebang.

"Managing nuclear waste is easier than managing outlets. Please prove it. PLTN is 40 years old, how much waste does the area need to store waste? It's only as big as this room, 40 years old," said Syaiful.

Syaiful continued, used fuel waste from nuclear reactors is not actually completely waste. Where, only about 5 percent are used up for fission reactions, while the remaining 95 percent can still be recycled for reuse in other reactors.

According to him, this opens up great opportunities for Indonesia to achieve energy independence. In addition, the remaining 5 percent of the material still has benefits, such as for hospital needs, industry, and food irradiation.

"How can 95 percent be recycled, used again for other types of reactors? What does that mean? We will become an independent and energy independent country," he concluded.