Could Floating Nuclear Power Plants Unlock Indonesia’s Energy Future?
Indonesia, the largest archipelagic country in Southeast Asia, consists of over 17,000 islands with a projected population of 284.44 million by 2025. Rapid population growth has led to a significant increase in electricity demand. However, the nation's geographic condition presents major challenges in energy distribution, particularly to outer islands and remote areas. As of now, Indonesia’s electrification ratio has reached approximately 99.83% of around 85 million households, with the state electricity company, PT PLN, serving about 98.45% of them. According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR), national electrification is targeted to reach 100% by 2029. To support this goal and achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2060, MEMR has issued a revised National Electricity General Plan (Rencana Umum Ketenagalistrikan Nasional, RUKN), which sets a target of 75.6% renewable and new energy integration by 2060. Nevertheless, not all regions in Indonesia possess equal potential for renewable energy deployment, as this largely depends on geographic and climatic conditions.
To address these challenges, the government has increasingly considered the deployment of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) as a clean, stable, and reliable energy source, particularly through the implementation of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Floating Nuclear Power Plants (FNPPs). Nuclear energy has been classified as part of new energy sources and is included in the Electricity Supply Business Plan (Rencana Usaha Penyediaan Tenaga Listrik, RUPTL) 2025–2034, which outlines the development of a 500 MW nuclear facility in the Kalimantan and Sumatra grids. This initiative aims to diversify the country’s 90 GW installed capacity, which is currently dominated by coal.
Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP)
A Floating Nuclear Power Plant (FNPP) is a nuclear power facility mounted on a floating platform, such as a ship or barge, which can be transported and operated in coastal areas or nearshore waters. This technology is designed to supply electricity, heat, and clean water (via desalination) to regions that are difficult to reach with conventional energy infrastructure, particularly small islands, remote areas, or disaster-prone regions.
FNPPs typically use SMRs, which are smaller than conventional nuclear reactors and can generate up to 300 MW of electricity. These reactors are assembled on land and then transported by sea to their operational locations. FNPPs can be relocated based on regional energy needs or even towed back to land-based facilities for maintenance. Many FNPP designs incorporate passive cooling systems and are resilient to natural disasters such as tsunamis or earthquakes, as they often operate far from seismic zones on land.
The world's first FNPP is the Akademik Lomonosov, built by the Russian nuclear company Rosatom. The vessel is equipped with two KLT-40S reactors (each producing 35 MWe) and has been operating commercially in Pevek, Chukotka since 2020. The power output from this facility is sufficient to supply electricity to a city of up to 100,000 people in the remote Arctic region, which is otherwise difficult to access.
Indonesia's Nuclear Energy Development Potential for the Future FNPP Program
In Indonesia, there is a FNPP design based on a Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) initiated by PT ThorCon Power Indonesia, called TMSR500, with a power capacity of 500 MW. The design consists of two sealed "cans," each generating 250 MWe, which are assembled at shipyards, installed on barges, and towed to coastal locations such as Kelasa Island in Bangka for ballasting and grid connection. The reactor modules are sealed and never opened on-site. After approximately eight years, the modules are swapped and returned for maintenance. However, as of now, the development progress of ThorCon's reactor in Indonesia remains in the planning and preparation stages.
On the other hand, Russia, through Rosatom, has submitted a proposal for the construction of an FNPP to Indonesia’s MEMR during the 13th Indonesia–Russia Joint Commission Meeting held at the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs on April 15, 2025. The meeting was also attended by Anna Belokoneva, Head of Rosatom’s Representative Office in Indonesia. The proposed FNPP project is planned to be in West Kalimantan, with a capacity of 2 x 110 MW, targeted for operation in 2030 and 2031, and an estimated Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) between US$150–190 per MWh. This proposal aligns with Indonesia’s roadmap for building a 250 MWe small-scale nuclear power plant by 2032, aiming to reach at least 7 GWe of nuclear capacity by 2042. If approved, this proposal could enable Indonesia to achieve 5 GWe of nuclear power capacity by 2040. The FNPP offered by Rosatom is based on its RITM-200M design, the only floating nuclear power plant currently available in the market. In addition, Rosatom has also proposed the construction of land-based SMRs in West Kalimantan with a capacity of 3 x 110 MW, where Unit I would be built in 2032, Unit II a year later, and Unit III in 2035. The estimated LCOE for this SMR project ranges between US$85–95 per MWh.
Beyond the Russian proposal, other countries have also expressed interest in offering their NPP designs to Indonesia. These include China through China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), the United States through NuScale Power LLC and TerraPower LLC, France via Électricité de France (EDF), South Korea through Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and Doosan, as well as Canada through AtkinsRéalis.
Challenges and Strategies to Support the Development of FNPP in Indonesia
Nuclear technology models such as SMR and FNPP offered by Rosatom present a significant opportunity for Indonesia to enhance its energy resilience. However, specific challenges and strategic measures must be addressed and incorporated into Indonesia’s nuclear energy regulatory framework to support the development of such technologies.
Challenges:
Lack of Specific Regulations for FNPPs: Currently, Indonesia does not have regulatory provisions specifically governing FNPPs, which possess unique characteristics such as offshore location and marine-based safety systems. Existing regulations still focus on land-based nuclear power plants and thus do not adequately address the specific requirements of FNPP technologies.
Technical and Safety Challenges: FNPPs require specialized safety approaches, including tsunami mitigation, marine corrosion resistance, and mobility in ocean currents. Design protocols, emergency procedures, and environmental monitoring systems must be tailored to marine conditions, with a strong emphasis on preventing pollution and protecting marine ecosystems.
Complex Legal and Administrative Procedures: Licensing for nuclear power plants in Indonesia involves multiple stages, each requiring separate approvals, which may impose additional administrative burdens on investors, especially for new technologies like FNPPs. Moreover, changes in land-use status, such as from a port zone to an energy zone, could introduce further legal complexities.
Strategies:
Revision of Government Regulations: Government Regulation No. 2 of 2014 should be revised to include explicit provisions for FNPP licensing, covering requirements for offshore sites such as territorial seas and the Exclusive Economic Zone (ZEE), marine safety systems, and ocean-based environmental monitoring and reporting procedures.
Development of Technical Regulations: Specific regulations by Indonesia’s Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN) are needed to technically govern the design and operation of FNPPs. These regulations should address issues such as marine evacuation zones, structural integrity of floating reactor vessels, radioactive waste management standards, and radiological monitoring of seawater and marine organisms.
Benchmarking with Other Countries: Indonesia is advised to conduct benchmarking studies with countries like Russia (KLT-40S), China (ACP100S), and South Korea (BANDI-60), which have advanced FNPP development. This will help Indonesia adopt best practices and develop adaptive regulations that align with its archipelagic condition.
To ensure the sustainable implementation of an FNPP program, these strategies must be supported by inter-agency collaboration, effective financing mechanisms, and public engagement through transparent education initiatives. Building public trust and increasing acceptance and awareness of nuclear technology are essential for the long-term success of FNPP deployment in Indonesia.
