This article has been translated by PwC Indonesia as part of our Indonesia Infrastructure News Service. PwC Indonesia has not checked the accuracy of, and accepts no responsibility for the content.
Bisnis Indonesia - Jalan panjang menuju PLTN
10 June 2025
By Lukas Hendra T.M.
The inclusion of nuclear power plants in the 2025–2034 Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) is a welcome development. However, nuclear reactor technology providers generating electricity must comply with all stages of the licensing process, from site evaluation to eventual decommissioning.
Head of the Research Organisation for Nuclear Energy (ORTN) at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Syaiful Bakhri, stated that both land-based and floating nuclear power plants (PLTNs) require site permits. He explained that, to date, regulatory licensing for PLTNs—initiated by the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten)—has largely adopted models for land-based plants. As for floating or barge-mounted reactors, several regulatory components are still incomplete.
“I see this as homework for Bapeten: to develop a regulatory framework that accommodates all models, be they floating, land-based, Generation-3, Generation-4, or others. Such frameworks should be facilitated under Bapeten’s existing regulatory system,” he told Bisnis recently.
Nonetheless, he emphasised that all nuclear power plants—whether land-based or floating—must adhere to the principles of safety, security, and safeguards (3S), and must fulfil all licensing procedures. “The process must start with site approval—regardless of the plant type. This cannot be bypassed. There must also be separate licences for construction, commissioning, operation, and ultimately decommissioning,” he added.
Bisnis reported that one nuclear reactor technology provider, PT Thorcon Power Indonesia (TPI), has submitted documentation to Indonesia’s nuclear regulatory authority to initiate licensing for a PLTN based on advanced molten salt reactor (MSR) technology. Kelasa Island in Central Bangka, in the Bangka Belitung Islands Province, is currently under consideration as the prospective location for the plant.
TPI, a subsidiary of Thorcon International, submitted its Site Evaluation Approval application on 12 February 2025, consisting of a Site Evaluation Programme (PET) and a Site Evaluation Management System (SMET).
TPI’s Chief Nuclear Officer Kun Chen said the submission marks the company as the first to apply for a nuclear power licence in Indonesia—a historic milestone. “We are proud to be pioneers in offering innovative nuclear energy solutions for this country. We are fully prepared to work closely with Bapeten and undergo the rigorous evaluation process,” he stated in a press release.
He added that the company is committed to operating Indonesia’s first PLTN by 2032, or earlier, in support of national economic growth, energy security, and long-term sustainability.
The proposed PLTN is based on technology developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory under the US Department of Energy in the 1960s. It will feature the Thorcon 500—a 500 megawatt electric (MWe) molten salt reactor system consisting of two sealed and replaceable 250 MWe reactors fuelled by low-enriched uranium.
Bapeten has completed its technical evaluation of the PET and SMET documents submitted by TPI and issued an Evaluation Report (LHE) on 21 March 2025. A review meeting on TPI’s Site Evaluation Approval request was held in Jakarta on 17 March 2025.
According to the report, LHE No. 0010/PI/03/2025 concluded that the documents submitted did not meet regulatory standards. TPI is therefore required to revise and improve its submission in line with applicable technical regulations.
During a hearing with Commission XII of the House of Representatives (DPR) in late April 2025, Acting Head of Bapeten, Sugeng Sumbarjo, explained that oversight of PLIN development rests on three main pillars: regulations, licensing, and inspections. “The development of a PLTN entails a rigorous process starting from site approval, followed by licensing for construction, commissioning, operations, and finally decommissioning,” he said.
The government is also continuing to strengthen oversight infrastructure, including legal frameworks, inspector capacity-building, and the establishment of a Technical Support Organisation (TSO).
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