Nuclear energy part of long-term development plan: Bappenas
Thai News Service
The National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) is currently preparing the 2025-2045 National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) document, which includes nuclear energy as an option for promoting energy efficiency. Besides nuclear energy, the agency has incorporated circular economy and clean energy into the document, Bappenas' Deputy for Maritime Affairs and Natural Resources Vivi Yulaswati said during a discussion on Indonesia's climate ambition here on Friday. "The RPJPN may include nuclear energy because based on the calculation, it may not be enough if we only rely on renewable energy," she explained. The option to utilize nuclear energy will prioritize the aspect of zero error so that the energy source does not have any negative impact on the environment and human health, she said. In Indonesia, the use of nuclear energy has been so far limited to the purposes of research, medication, and genetic engineering in science. The commercial use of nuclear power as an alternative energy source has not been made so far due to issues related to funding and the debate concerning the safety of nuclear power plants. Based on the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's road map, the nuclear power plant will only be utilized by Indonesia in the middle of this century. The government, along with the parliament, is still creating a legal umbrella for nuclear power plants, which will be laid down in the New and Renewable Energy Bill (RUU EBET). "Within the context of the next 20 years in the future, the energy transition has become very important because we know that energy is the blood for development," Yulaswati noted. Earlier, in a statement released on Wednesday, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) said that it is opening opportunities for the private sector to cooperate with the agency to build nuclear power plants in Indonesia. Source: ANTARA News