PLN Director of Planning Nicke Widyawati in front of ThorCon executives APRONUKI will assess whether ThorCon technologies are safe and can produce electricity competitive with coal power plants

Following on from the pre-feasibility study ThorCon International has begun discussions with Indonesia Nuclear Agency (BATAN) to review the ThorCon design, and BATAN has agreed that if satisfactory BATAN will recommend to the government that ThorCon be Indonesia’s first nuclear power plant.

Nicke Widyawati is Indonesia electric power company PLN’s director of planning and signer of the original MOU. She sees ThorCon playing an important role in powering Indonesia, provided an upcoming Technical Assessment finds the molten salt reactors meet safety standards and are economically sound. PLN has conditionally included thorium molten salt reactors as an option in the National Electricity Business Plan for 2017-2026.

The Indonesia Nuclear Professional Association (APRONUKI) has agreed to be the project manager to conduct a Technical Assessment of ThorCon technology, with guidance from IAEA INPRO Methodology. The Technical Assessment team of national and international experts will be led by Professor Abdul Waris of Institut Teknologi Bandung. APRONUKI president Besar Winarto said, “While using INPRO methodology on sustainability of a nuclear energy system, APRONUKI will assess whether ThorCon technologies are safe and can produce electricity competitive with coal power plants.”

According to Bob S. Effendi, ThorCon Indonesia representative, “The Technical Assessment will enable the government to open the door for nuclear power, as called for in the National Long Term Development Planning and Government Regulation no 14/2015, which says nuclear power plant construction should start in 2019 and be operating by 2025.”