ASIATODAY.ID, SOUTH TANGERANG — Safe and sustainable radioactive waste management has become a national priority for Indonesia as the country seeks to protect public safety and environmental sustainability.
In a move to strengthen research capacity and accelerate technology transfer, the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has initiated collaboration with TVEL Rosatom, a Russian nuclear technology company, on the development of radioactive waste management systems.
The cooperation was discussed during a visit by a TVEL Rosatom delegation to Building 720 at the BJ Habibie Science and Technology Park (KST BJ Habibie) in Serpong, South Tangerang, on Thursday, December 11, 2025. The meeting marked an important step toward expanding international research partnerships in nuclear technology, particularly in the field of radioactive waste management in Indonesia.
Head of BRIN’s Research Center for Nuclear Materials Technology and Radioactive Waste, Maman Kartaman Ajiriyanto, said BRIN is actively broadening international cooperation to accelerate mastery of strategic technologies.
“Our current focus is collaboration on radioactive waste management technologies, including supporting facilities. Rosatom possesses a wide range of technologies, from small-scale radioactive waste management to nuclear fuel fabrication for both research reactors and power reactors,” Maman said.
He added that several BRIN research programs align closely with TVEL Rosatom’s technological capabilities, opening strong opportunities for co-development.
“We expect future co-development in the form of new technological devices, where Rosatom’s technologies can be applied in Indonesia and adapted to local conditions. It is essential that BRIN researchers are directly involved so that we do not become fully dependent on foreign technology,” he emphasized.
From Rosatom’s side, Stepan Kirillov, Head of the Foreign Business Development Group at TVEL Rosatom, welcomed the prospect of cooperation, noting its potential to enhance technological capacity in both countries.
“We are open to collaboration to improve technological capabilities, particularly in radioactive waste processing. Rosatom is ready to support the expansion of Indonesia’s waste processing capacity,” Kirillov said.
He also stressed the importance of establishing a formal framework, such as a memorandum of understanding (MoU), to strengthen long-term partnership between the two institutions.
During a technical presentation, Hendra Adhi Pratama, Coordinator of BRIN’s Radioactive Waste Management Technology Research Group, outlined urgent needs related to the decommissioning and decontamination of research facilities at BRIN’s Radioactive Waste Processing Installation.
“There are plans to deactivate and decontaminate several facilities at BRIN. This program must be carried out swiftly while maintaining strict safety standards. Therefore, we are open to collaboration with external partners, including academia,” Hendra said.
He also highlighted the significant increase in radioactive waste volumes following the decontamination of a contamination case in Cikande.
“A large volume of additional waste emerged after the Cikande decontamination process. These wastes have not yet been fully processed, making comprehensive waste management solutions urgently needed,” he explained.
Furthermore, Hendra noted that BRIN currently lacks a fully integrated facility for managing and processing spent nuclear fuel waste. At present, research on reprocessing and spent fuel waste treatment is still in the development stage.
The visit concluded with a tour of BRIN’s radioactive waste management facilities at Buildings 50 and 38 of the BJ Habibie Science and Technology Park in Serpong, offering both sides a clearer picture of future technological cooperation opportunities. (AT Network)
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