The Indonesian government will kick off construction of nuclear power plant that is set to generate power in 2024 or 2025, in an effort to get energy efficiently to comply with rising energy demand, official said here on Friday.

"Nuclear energy is still needed. Because the reserves of fossil energy will run out in the future. It is a must," Director General of Renewable Energy at Energy and Mines Ministry Rida Mulyana said at his office.

With moderate GDP growth over the least several years, Indonesia's energy demand has risen sharply that pushes the government to lift the supply of energy.

In the next five years, President Joko Widodo targets to construct a 35,000 MW power plant projects after the country build two 10,000 MW power plant projects in recent years.

"The fact is that we are short of electricity despite of having non-renewable and renewable energy sources," Mulyana said.

Indonesia has both reserve of plutonium located in Bangka Belitung and Uranium in Borneo.

Indonesia has turned to a net-oil importer country that led the country exited from OPEC membership in 2008.

Currently Indonesia only has proven oil reserve of 3.7 billion barrels and its production keeps dwindling due to aging wells.

Source: Xinhua News Agency