Jakarta, Detak Indonesia--Thorcon International PTE LTD and the Public Service Agency for the Research and Development of Electricity, New Energy, Renewable and Energy Conservation Technology (BLU-P3TEK KEBTKE) Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) held a Dissemination of the Results of the Development Study and Implementation of PLTT in Indonesia where the study run for 10 months.

The study was reviewed from several aspects including aspects of regulation, safety, economics and encumbrance electricity grid. ThorCon International is a nuclear company part of ThorCon United States that has expressed serious interest in the Government to develop and build a TMSR500 type Thorium Power Plant in Indonesia with an investment cost of around US $ 1.2 billion or around Rp. 17 Trillion.

According to the results of the study, all the regulations needed to carry out the construction of nuclear power plants in terms of the energy mix as well as the safety of nuclear installation safety are adequate. As mandated by Law No. 10 of 1997 concerning nuclear power, and Law no. 17 of 2007 concerning the National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) of 2005-2025 which mandates the use of nuclear power plants in 2025. Likewise, PP No. 14 of 2015 concerning the 2015-2035 National Industrial Development Master Plan (RIPIN).

In addition, based on PP No. 79 of 2014 concerning the National Energy Policy (KEN), it is stated that to reduce carbon emissions and to meet the urgent national energy demand, nuclear energy can be utilized as an energy supply with the condition that it must be operated at a high safety level at an affordable price - which is targeted below the National BPP of US $ 0.077 per kWh.

From the safety aspect, many nuclear experts in the world agree and have concluded that theoretically the ThorCon TMSR500 technology has a high level of safety with a passive safety system and a simpler structure, because it can operate at low pressure, is also cost effective and produces energy clean electricity. In addition, Thorcon TMSR500 technology can be developed in the near future.

This was conveyed through the study of nuclear experts, including by El-sheikh, an expert from the Egyptian Nuclear Energy Supervisory Agency (2013); Lumbanraja & Liun, senior researcher of BATAN (2018); and Staffan Qvist, one of the IAEA experts from Sweden (2019). In addition, the results of the FGD between Qvist, BATAN and BAPETEN concluded that ThorCon TMSR500 responded quickly to accidents with scenarios worse than Fukushima - in other words, ThorCon TMSR500 design guaranteed that Fukushima / Chernobyl events were not likely to occur.

In terms of financial analysis, the TMSR500 power plant project is a project that fulfils economic viability. Assuming a 2 x 500 MW TMSR500 plant which operates 24 hours for 365 days in a year with a capacity factor of 90% indicates that the TMSR500 power plant project is financially feasible with a selling price of US $ 0.069 per kWh below the national BPP. In addition, it can still generate healthy and positive returns for investors, as well as having a large emergency budget. In the Independent Power Producer (IPP) scheme the construction of this plant does not have financial and technological risks for the State Electricity Company (PLN) and the Government.

Through a road map study of the TSMR500 type PLTT, it was concluded that if the licensing process was carried out effectively and efficiently by the relevant government agencies, the construction of the PLTT type TMSR500 project could be completed within a period of 7 years. If assuming the road map 2020 is the first year, then there are two stages of the TMSR500 PLTT demonstration plant. Phase one with a capacity of 500 MW can be operated commercially (COD) in 2027, and after 2 years later it enters stage two with a capacity of 3 GW.

To reduce risks and increase the certainty of the safety system, ThorCon International will carry out implementation through 2 stages, namely the development phase and the development stage. Where at the development stage which will last for 2 years ThorCon International will build a "Test Bed Platform" facility at a cost of US $ 70 million to validate the design, test the thermal hydraulic system and the safety system of the TMSR500 type PLTT, and be able to function as a proving facility for ThorCon safety technology for the government and also the community.

After the development phase is completed, a new construction phase will begin and is scheduled to begin in 2023 for COD in 2027. In the network and load assessment, three provinces have been selected to be potential locations for the construction of PLTTs. The need for electricity to boost the regional economic development industry in the three provinces of West Kalimantan, Bangka Belitung and Riau, is considered feasible for further comprehensive review which will later be the location of the first Thorium Power Plant (PLTT).

Based on the reference sources above, it can be concluded that the PLTT type TMSR500 can be considered as one of the carbon-free power generation solutions that is worth considering being built to meet electricity needs in Indonesia in the period 2026 - 2027.(*/rls/azf)