Russia-Indonesia cooperation in nuclear technology is reaching new heights. With Jakarta’s growing electricity demand and commitment to carbon neutrality, Rosatom is offering advanced solutions ranging from small modular reactors to large nuclear power plants. Anna Belokoneva, head of Rosatom’s office in Indonesia, discusses joint projects and the future of collaboration between Rosatom and its Indonesian partners.
Indonesia is among the world’s fastest growing economies. President Prabowo Subianto has set a goal of achieving and maintaining economic growth at 8% GDP annually.
With this rapid economic development, electricity demand has surged from 188 billion kWh in 2013 to 316 billion kWh in 2023. In relative terms, the share of industrial energy consumption has seen particularly sharp growth, rising from 31.8% in 2013 to 45.6% in 2023.
Indonesia is one of the largest coal exporters in the world, with coal-fired power plants forming the backbone of its energy mix. However, the country has committed to reducing carbon emissions. At the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), Indonesia pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
In September 2022, the government published a roadmap outlining measures to mitigate global warming, including the adoption of new energy sources—particularly nuclear power.
Indonesia also plans to stop building new coal-fired plants and either retire or modernize existing ones, while increasing the share of renewable energy sources.
Indonesia has been developing nuclear technology for many years and currently operates three research reactors. Today, nuclear energy is actively discussed at the highest levels of government and in international meetings.
The country has adopted a General Plan for National Energy Development (RUKN), which provides for a gradual increase in the share of nuclear in the energy mix. The 10-year electricity development plan calls for the first 500 MW of nuclear capacity to come online in Kalimantan and Sumatra by 2032–2033. Under the RUKN, Indonesia aims to deploy around 7 GW of nuclear capacity by 2040 and 35 GW by 2060. The government has identified 29 potential sites for nuclear power plants.
Given Indonesia’s ambitious nuclear energy plans, Rosatom is ready to provide advanced solutions for both large and small-scale power generation.
Aligned with the government’s roadmap, we propose starting with small modular reactor (SMR) plants, both in offshore and onshore versions, while simultaneously building national expertise for implementing large-scale nuclear power plant projects.
First, our technologies are time-proven, operational, and demonstrate both efficiency and safety. Second, we are ready to support our partners in both deploying energy solutions and building a complete national nuclear infrastructure, from specialized education to local supplier management. We place great emphasis on local sourcing and are prepared to involve local companies in our projects. This approach brings tangible benefits to the host country.
Beyond nuclear power projects, we are open to cooperation in radiation technologies for medicine and agriculture, renewable energy, where Rosatom has accumulated considerable expertise, and many other areas. All these initiatives contribute to both boosting economic development and improving quality of life.
We are currently discussing our proposals with Indonesia’s key stakeholders. If the Indonesian government decides to move forward with cooperation with Russia on building nuclear power plants, we are ready to take the next steps. That is why Rosatom decided to open a permanent office in Indonesia. The recent meeting between our leaders at the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum underscores the strategic nature of Russian-Indonesian cooperation, and we are eager to become part of this process.
We organize regular events for major Indonesian companies and government agencies to introduce them to Russian nuclear technologies. We are also glad to participate in business exhibitions, conferences, and seminars held in Indonesia.
Education is another crucial component of a successful national nuclear program, and we collaborate with Indonesia in this area. For this academic year, Russia has allocated 20 scholarships for Indonesian students to study nuclear-related disciplines in leading Russian universities.
Earlier this July, we partnered with Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and Russia’s Tomsk Polytechnic University (one of Rosatom’s backbone universities) to hold HackAtom, a 24-hour competition to solve real-world nuclear industry challenges. The winning team will travel to Moscow in September for international competitions.
We also engage with younger audiences, including high school students. Earlier this year, we conducted a selection round in Indonesia for the Icebreaker of Knowledge, an international science and education initiative. The winner, an Indonesian student, will join students from other countries on Rosatom’s Arctic expedition to the North Pole aboard a nuclear icebreaker.
We believe it is important to openly share information about our technologies. For the second consecutive year, we have invited journalists from leading Indonesian media outlets to visit the one-of-a-kind floating nuclear power plant in Russia’s northernmost city of Pevek. The second such trip has taken place recently.
While such educational and informational outreach is quite uncommon for commercial companies, it is very important to us. We are committed to long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation with Indonesia and are happy to share with our partners and friends the advantages of nuclear energy and the benefits it can bring to the country.
Photo by: Tomsk Polytechnic University News Service, Wikipedia
