On November 18, a meeting took place in Kendari, Indonesia, between a representative of “Rosatom,” the government of Southeast Sulawesi Province, and a member of Indonesia’s National Energy Council. The meeting was also attended by Sergey Tolchenov, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Indonesia, and Alexander Masaltsev, the Trade Representative of the Russian Federation in Indonesia.
Anna Belokoneva, Head of Rosatom Regional Office for Indonesia, introduced the company’s advanced energy technologies and outlined the opportunities that nuclear power plant construction can provide for local industrial, educational, and scientific development.
Provincial government leaders highlighted the growing demand for electricity fueled by the region’s expanding resource extraction and processing sectors, particularly the construction of nickel ore processing plants. Interest in nuclear energy also stems from the need to transition the province gradually toward low-carbon energy sources. Currently, over 75% of the province’s electricity generation is coal-based, but the national government plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, which includes phasing out coal-fired power plants.
Mr. Musri, a representative of Indonesia’s National Energy Council, stated that the BRIN Agency had preliminarily identified two potential sites in Southeast Sulawesi for nuclear power plant construction. These sites, however, will require further study and approval. The Rosatom representative confirmed the corporation’s readiness to consider these sites within the framework of a preliminary feasibility study, which the Russian side proposes conducting in collaboration with Indonesian partners.
The meeting participants also discussed the importance of ensuring public acceptance of nuclear energy and agreed to continue discussions on the prospects for implementing a nuclear power plant project in the province, involving both local and national authorities.
Reference
Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation is a diversified holding company that unites assets in the fields of power engineering, machine building and construction. Rosatom’s activities also include production of innovative non-nuclear products, logistics and development of the Northern Sea Route, and implementation of environmental projects. The state corporation unites more than 450 enterprises and organisations employing about 400 thousand people. The company is the largest producer of low-carbon electricity in Russia, providing about 20 % of the total electricity volume produced in the country. Rosatom ranked first in the world in terms of its portfolio of orders for the construction of nuclear power plants: 39 power units (including six small modular units) in 10 countries are at various stages of implementation.
Rosatom State Corporation offers foreign customers a comprehensive solution that provides access to the entire line of products and services throughout the NPP’s life. It includes not only the construction of NPPs using Russian technologies, but also the creation and development of nuclear infrastructure in the country; assistance in forming the relevant legislative framework; training and retraining of national personnel; involvement of a local industry in the project; fuel supply and maintenance of NPPs; assistance in their operation; spent nuclear fuel (SNF) management; and effective public awareness of nuclear energy.
Russia continues to maintain a constructive dialogue with its foreign colleagues, developing mutually beneficial cooperation. Implementation of major foreign energy projects continues. Rosatom and its enterprises take an active part in this work.