DEN member Musri Mawaledha and Deputy Governor of Southeast Sulawesi, Hugua, voiced their backing for the project, which is expected to follow environmentally friendly, efficient, and cost-effective principles.
“The entire investment for the development of this nuclear power plant will come from Rosatom. It will not burden the State Budget, let alone the Regional Budget,” Mawaledha said after a meeting in Jakarta with a delegation from the Russian Trade Representative Office on Thursday.
Rosatom, a Russian state-owned corporation, specializes in nuclear energy, high-tech products, and nuclear-related services. It is the world’s largest vendor in the global nuclear industry.
Mawaledha stated that nuclear power is the most promising renewable energy option to address Indonesia’s energy challenges.
“Indonesia has great potential for nuclear power development due to the availability of raw materials and its strategic location,” he added.
Southeast Sulawesi has been identified as a priority site for NPP development. Geological research by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) indicates the region is geologically stable and suitable to serve as a nuclear development hub.
The province also has high electricity demands due to its large-scale nickel mining and processing industries, along with related downstream sectors. The proposed NPP is also expected to supply electricity to households and small industries.
Nuclear energy is already widely used in developed countries. For example, France meets 70 percent of its electricity needs through nuclear power, while the United States operates 93 nuclear reactors for energy production.
“This demonstrates that nuclear power is a safe and environmentally friendly source of electricity,” Mawaledha said.
Deputy Governor Hugua added that the meeting with the Russian delegation was a follow-up to discussions with the Russian Ambassador in Jakarta.
“On behalf of the Governor of Southeast Sulawesi, we are very interested in the presentation delivered by Rosatom. This is an opportunity for our province to take a leap forward,” Hugua said.
