Conceptual Pre-Feasibility Study of a 250 MWe Floating Nuclear Power Plant in North Maluku: Electrical System Integration, Site Safety, and Economic Analysis

Abstrak

Electricity supply disparities in archipelagic systems create demand for low-emission baseload generation, yet plant capacity must be compatible with grid size, site safety, and financing conditions. This study develops a conceptual pre-feasibility assessment of a 250 MWe floating nuclear power plant (FNPP) for North Maluku by integrating energy-demand screening, floating-structure design basis, nuclear-maritime siting requirements, stationkeeping, and engineering-economic analysis. At a 90% capacity factor, annual generation is estimated at 1,971 GWh, compared with approximately 1,356.62 GWh of electricity distributed in North Maluku. The proposed unit would therefore produce 45.3% more annual energy than current distribution and its rated output would exceed the system's average load, making interconnection, firm industrial off-take, reserve provision, or a smaller modular unit essential. An illustrative economic screening based on USD 7,000/kW CAPEX, a 60-year operating life, five-year construction, an 8.28% discount rate, a 90% capacity factor, and a tariff of IDR 1,877/kWh yields an NPV of USD 48.6 million, an IRR of 8.52%, a 14-year payback period from project start, and an LCOE of approximately IDR 1,831/kWh. The project is only marginally viable and remains highly sensitive to capital cost, tariff, capacity factor, and financing rate. The Halmahera offshore area cannot be declared suitable based only on water depth and available space; seismic, volcanic, tsunami, metocean, geotechnical, radiological dispersion, navigation, physical security, and emergency preparedness assessments are required. FNPP may be retained as a long-term option, but an investment decision requires grid-compatible unit sizing, staged site investigation, integrated nuclear-maritime safety design, and a bankable off-take model.