Why A National Strategic Project? Legal and Policy Perspective on Indonesia’s National Position for the First Nuclear Power Plant Development

Faidatul Hikmah (Magister of Law Study Program, Faculty of Law, Universitas Bangka Belitung, Kepulauan Bangka Belitung 33172, Indonesia)

Verdict: Journal of Law Science
Vol. 5 No. 3 (2026): Verdict: Journal of Law Science

Indonesia’s aspiration to develop nuclear power plants dates back to the early decades of the Republic and has been supported by extensive cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), including the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) mission in 2009. Despite decades of technical preparation and institutional development, the country has yet to commence the construction of its first commercial NPP. However, Indonesia’s nuclear programme has entered a new phase following the enactment of Law No. 59 of 2024 on the National Long-Term Development Plan 2025–2045, Government Regulation No. 40 of 2025 on the National Energy Policy, and the Electricity Supply Business Plan 2025–2034, all of which explicitly recognize nuclear power as a strategic component of the national energy transition and establish a target for commissioning the first 500 MW nuclear power plant by 2032. This research approach is a normative juridical using qualitative analysis of laws, regulations, government policy documents, official reports, and relevant literature to examine Indonesia’s legal and institutional readiness for the development and operation of its first NPP. The findings indicate that Indonesia has established a substantially stronger regulatory and policy framework than in previous decades, supported by institutional preparations for a Nuclear Energy Program Implementing Organization (NEPIO) and the continued roles of BRIN and BAPETEN. Nevertheless, significant implementation challenges remain, including project delivery mechanisms, financing, technology selection, licensing, and institutional coordination. This study recommends adopting a clear implementation strategy, including designating the first NPP as a National Strategic Project, to strengthen regulatory certainty, accelerate inter-agency coordination, and enhance investor confidence in developing Indonesia’s first commercial nuclear power plant and support the long-term objectives of the National Energy Policy through 2060.