Indonesia reviews nuclear power proposals from five countries

Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has received proposals from five countries, including Canada and Russia, to develop nuclear power plants in the country.

ESDM Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said in Jakarta on August 25, 2025, that the government has already held meetings with Canadian and Russian representatives. He noted that no decision has been made on the technology design, as all proposals are still under review.

Bahlil explained that the government is evaluating which nuclear model would best support the country’s long-term energy needs. His remarks follow earlier comments from Eniya Listiani Dewi, Director General of New and Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE), who had stated that six countries expressed interest in nuclear development. These included the United States, Russia, Denmark, Canada, the United Kingdom, and China.

State utility PLN has included nuclear energy in its Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) for 2025–2034, targeting up to 500 MW of capacity over the next decade. Under the draft Government Regulation on National Energy Policy (RPP KEN) and the National Electricity General Plan (RUKN), Indonesia’s first nuclear plant is expected to start operations by 2032 with 250 MW of capacity, rising to 7 GW by 2040.

At the same time, Indonesia’s electricity master plan projects 26.8 GW of additional coal capacity over the next seven years, with captive coal accounting for more than 20 GW of this expansion. Coal power generation is expected to peak in 2037, reaching 62.7 per cent above current levels.