Prabowo Wants Nuclear Cooperation With Russia, Ministry Of Energy And Mineral Resources Opens Voice

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif (Photo: dock. VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif opened his voice regarding the plan of the Elected President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto to cooperate with Russia in the development of nuclear energy.

Arifin said that nuclear is actually an important source of energy for Indonesia in the future. However, he admitted that he still needed further technology development.

Moreover, the government also has plans to use nuclear energy after 2040. Arifin also did not rule out the possibility of using this technology to be carried out faster than planned if the Yqng technology was used to prove safe.

"We have prepared nuclear energy, we plan to beyond 2040, but if the technology is safe, commercially competitive, why not," said Arifin to the media crew quoted on Friday, August 9.

Arifin said, compared to large-scale nuclear technology, the government is more focused on plans to build nuclear reactors on a smaller scale such as the Small Modular Reactor (SMR).

"Maybe SMR, because on a large scale there is no area that can fully utilize it," added Arifin.

Regarding the prospective company candidates who will work on Nuclear Power Plants (PLTN) with SMR technology, Arifin said that until now his party has not received a strategic candidate.

"Not yet, we have to properly evaluate the technology, yes, then also the economy," concluded Arifin.

For information, previously, Elected President 2024-2029 Prabowo Subianto made a visit to Russia to meet Vladimir Putin.

On the same occasion Prabowo also expressed his desire to cooperate in the nuclear sector with Russia

So far, Indonesia has three nuclear reactors, which were built in the 1970s on average. The three reactors, namely the Kartini Nuclear Reactor in Yogyakarta, the 2000 Triga Reactor in Bandung, and the Multipurpose GA Swabessy Reactor Installation in Serpong. The three reactors are currently intended for education and research.