Antara News·Indonesia·Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 11:21 AM UTC

Indonesia steps up nuclear plant feasibility studies in E. Kalimantan

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Arumanto, Novi Abdi, Yashinta Difa

Balikpapan, E. Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is intensifying feasibility studies and technological research to identify optimal sites and reactor systems for a future nuclear power plant (NPP) in East Kalimantan.

Speaking in Balikpapan on Saturday, BRIN Head Arif Satria stated that establishing a nuclear power plant has become an operational necessity, driven by soaring industrial energy demand and the nation’s green economy transition.

"A nuclear power plant has become an inevitability. BRIN continues to conduct research to determine the most appropriate type of technology and the most suitable location for its development," Arif said.

He added that research acceleration is moving in parallel with the expansion of digital ecosystems and artificial intelligence capabilities across regional universities.

National energy planning documents have identified three prospective coastal locations in East Kalimantan, including the Sangatta region in East Kutai, Samboja in Kutai Kartanegara, and Babulu in North Penajam Paser, for rigorous reactor site assessment.

These areas were selected for their abundant marine cooling water and stable geological structures that are relatively secure from major earthquakes.

Technical evaluations encompass reactor safety, environmental carrying capacity, and safe distances from population centers—with close collaboration involving regional universities.

"We want to ensure that all stages of this study are carried out transparently, accurately, and involve local universities so that technological readiness and human resources can go hand in hand," Arif noted.

Indonesia is evaluating prospective sites across multiple regions—including the Riau Islands, Kalimantan, Sumatra, and Halmahera—as part of a nationwide push to fortify long-term energy security.

Coordinating Minister for Downstreaming and Energy Transition Bahlil Lahadalia previously confirmed that Jakarta is conducting rigorous feasibility assessments while exploring international technology partnerships with global nuclear leaders in Russia, the United States, South Korea, and Japan.

Under state utility PLN’s current development timeline, the government aims to finalize the location for its inaugural nuclear facility by 2027 at the latest, targeting commercial operations by 2032 with an initial 250-megawatt capacity.

Over the long term, national projections outline a massive scale-up of nuclear capacity to between 35 and 42 gigawatts by 2060, accounting for up to 12.1 percent of Indonesia’s primary energy mix.

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