Indonesia must urgently place nuclear energy at the center of its long-term national energy strategy to ensure energy security, economic competitiveness, and the success of its carbon neutrality goals by 2060, a leading Engineer said.

“Indonesia cannot achieve a reliable and low-carbon energy system without nuclear power. The time has come for this nation to act decisively,” Khoirul Huda, Chairman of the Nuclear Engineering Working Body at the Indonesian Engineers Association (PII), said during a national energy policy dialogue held in Jakarta on Friday, June 13, 2025.

Huda emphasized that while the National Electricity Plan (RUKN) and the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL 2025–2034) have formally acknowledged nuclear power, implementation remains slow and fragmented. He warned that over-reliance on intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind, without a stable baseload energy provider like nuclear, could jeopardize both energy reliability and industrial growth.

The Indonesian government’s energy transition roadmap aims to generate up to 35 GW of electricity from nuclear power by 2060. However, Huda argued this target could and should be exceeded, particularly if industrial zones and remote regions adopt Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to supplement grid-based capacity.

According to him, one of the main barriers is not technological capability, but institutional inertia and public misperception.

“The Indonesian engineering community is ready. We have the knowledge, the talent, and the experience,” Huda said. “What we need is a regulatory ecosystem that is responsive, a public that is informed, and a government that is bold.” he added.

He pointed to the country’s over 60 years of experience in safely operating research reactors − located in Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Serpong − as a strong foundation for commercial nuclear development. These facilities have operated without a single radiation leak, proving the safety culture and technical capacity of Indonesian engineers.

He also cited growing international interest in next-generation reactors − such as Generation IV technologies and advanced PWRs − which offer higher efficiency, passive safety features, and lower waste volumes. He encouraged Indonesia to pursue international partnerships to accelerate technology transfer and local capacity building.

“We are not starting from zero. What we lack is not capability, but conviction,” Huda cited. “Nuclear power offers stable, clean, high-capacity electricity. It is not the energy of the past, but the foundation of our sustainable future.”

He called on policymakers to simplify licensing, fast-track nuclear infrastructure projects, and invest in uranium and thorium exploration to secure a domestic fuel supply. Without these measures, he warned, Indonesia could fall behind regional peers such as China and India, both of which have aggressively expanded their nuclear portfolios.

Huda also stressed the role of nuclear in industrial decarbonization, including hydrogen production, district heating, and desalination − applications that renewables cannot fulfill on their own.

“This is not just about electrons, but also about enabling a resilient, carbon-neutral economy,” he said.

In conclusion, Huda urged greater inter-agency coordination, improved public education, and alignment of national targets with engineering realities. He warned that without immediate, large-scale investment in nuclear energy, Indonesia’s ambition to become a developed, green economy by mid-century may remain out of reach.