Jakarta—According to the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia has around 90,000 tonnes of uranium and 140,000 tonnes of thorium. With its abundant natural resources, Indonesia has a great potential for developing nuclear energy.
BRIN’s Principal Expert Researcher at the Research Centre for Radioisotope Technology, Radiopharmaceuticals and Biodosimetry (PRTRRB), Rohadi Awaludin, said in a BRIN press release on Thursday, 6 March, that these resources could be an essential asset for Indonesia in its clean energy transition.
“Indonesia is blessed with sufficient natural resources related to nuclear fuel in the form of uranium and thorium. We have enough capital to fulfil our energy needs using nuclear power,” said Rohadi.
According to him, several areas in Indonesia have been mapped as potential mining sites for uranium and thorium. However, no businessman has been interested in processing these minerals until now.
“Processing uranium and thorium minerals will begin if Indonesia has built a Nuclear Power Plant (PLTN). That is, more upstream, to nuclear minerals,” Rohadi explained.
Thorium, often called green nuclear, has several advantages over uranium. In addition to producing lower radioactive waste, it produces much greater energy.
“Thorium has favourable thermophysical properties, higher neutronic properties compared to uranium, and better proliferation resistance,” said Nuri Trianti, a researcher at BRIN’s Research Centre for Nuclear Reactor Technology (PRTRN), at the International Atomic Energy Agency Scientific Forum in Vienna, Austria, in 2023.
The government is expected to consider nuclear energy as one of the clean energy solutions to achieve the Net Zero Emission (NZE) 2060 target. Nuclear power plants have the advantage of providing stable electricity without emitting greenhouse gases and only requiring a small amount of fuel, making the electricity supply more secure.
However, Rohadi emphasised that nuclear power plant construction must meet strict safety standards, including the 3S (Safety, Security, and Safeguards) aspects. “For mining sites, the security aspect is more important, while for nuclear power plants, these three aspects must be fulfilled properly. Before operating, the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN) must review a safety analysis,” he added.
Rohadi hopes these energy resources can be utilised optimally for domestic purposes before being exported abroad. With optimal utilisation of uranium and thorium, Indonesia has the potential to become one of the countries with sustainable nuclear energy. (Hartatik)
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