Russia's Federal Environmental, Industrial and Nuclear Supervision Service (Rostechnadzor) on 31 March signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Indonesia's Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) to cooperate on a range of issues related to the regulation of nuclear and radiation safety and nuclear security. The agreement was signed on the side-lines of the 7th Nuclear Safety Convention at the headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. The MOU covers the development of regulations on nuclear safety, radiation and security of nuclear technology; development and implementation of a licensing program; inspection of nuclear and radiation facilities; development of regulations and supervision of the mining and processing of radioactive minerals; and, emergency preparedness and response.

Russia and Indonesia signed a nuclear cooperation agreement in December 2006. Indonesia's National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan) is promoting the introduction of NPPs in Indonesia and envisages the start-up of conventional large light-water reactors on the populous islands of Bali, Java, Madura and Sumatra from 2027 onwards. In addition, it is planning for small high temperature gas-cooled reactors (HTGRs - up to 100MWe) for deployment on Kalimantan, Sulawesi and other islands to supply power and heat for industrial use.

Prior to the introduction of commercial reactors in Indonesia, Batan is considering building a test and demonstration HTGR with an electrical output of 3-10MWe and a thermal output of 10-30MWt. Indonesia is co-operating with both China and Russia on this project. Last August, China Nuclear Engineering Corporation (CNEC) signed an agreement with the Indonesian government to develop HTGRs in Indonesia. The agreement called for both parties to cooperate to develop an Indonesian HTGR, and in training of the facility’s personnel, CNEC said.

In 2015, Russia’s OKBM Afrikantov finished developing documents of a conceptual design for the pilot HTGR for Indonesia. Development of project based on 10MWe HTGR technology for co-generation of electricity and service heat was carried out as part of Indonesia’s nuclear programme. In April 2015, Batan named the consortium of Indonesian companies Rekayasa Engineering and Kogas and German firm Nukem Technologies GmbH (an affiliate of Russian Atomstroyexport) as winner of the tender for the pre-project phase of construction of the pilot HTGR. 

Date: Thursday, 06 April 2017
Original article: neimagazine.com/news/newsrussia-and-indonesia-sign-mou-on-nuclear-safety-5781127