Indonesia revives nuclear power plans amid earthquake safety concerns
Indonesia is reviving plans to build its first nuclear power plant, which were shelved after the 2011 Fukushima disaster, as part of its decarbonisation strategy. The government aims to have the plant operational by 2032 and nuclear energy to supply up to 12.1% of the primary energy mix by 2060. However, experts and the public worry about the risks in a quake-prone country, despite the leading candidate site being an uninhabited island not in an active seismic zone.
Indonesia's nuclear ambitions trace back to the mid-1990s under President Suharto, though the 2011 Fukushima meltdown prompted Jakarta to reclassify atomic power as a "last option" energy source in 2014. That designation shifted to a "strategic choice" last year, with the Energy Ministry targeting an initial operational plant by 2032 and nuclear supplying up to 12.1 percent of primary energy by 2060, representing 35-42 gigawatts of installed capacity.
The leading candidate site is an uninhabited island believed to sit outside active seismic zones, a key consideration given Indonesia's vulnerability to earthquakes and tsunamis. Deputy Energy Minister Yuliot announced the policy pivot at a December nuclear forum in Jakarta, framing atomic energy as essential for balancing the energy mix while pursuing decarbonisation goals in the coal-dependent nation.
Indonesia's nuclear push could reshape energy policy across the quake-prone Asia-Pacific region, where seismic risk has long deterred atomic development. Residents near potential sites may face anxiety about disaster scenarios, while the government could gain a cleaner baseload power source to complement its coal phase-down. Success or failure here may influence whether other developing nations in seismically active zones view nuclear power as viable, potentially affecting regional energy security and climate commitments for decades.