SINGAPORE, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Indonesia is in talks with

the United States and Russia about acquiring technology to

develop nuclear power plants, an Indonesian government deputy

minister told Reuters on Friday.

Southeast Asia's biggest economy is looking at operating

nuclear power plants as early as 2036 to cut its dependence on

fossil fuels, said Vivi Yulaswati, deputy minister at the

Ministry of National Development Planning.

It is open to both small modular reactors and conventional

nuclear technology, she said in a video interview.

In Indonesia, nuclear power plants have been a controversial

topic as the country is prone to earthquakes. When asked if

orders have been placed, Yulaswati said it was too early for

that to have happened.

"We have to get a blessing from the president, and of

course, we have to talk with international partners. I think,

very long journey still," she said.

Thirty countries, nine of which are in Asia, use nuclear

power for electricity generation, data from energy think tank

Ember shows.

Indonesia, a country of over 275 million people, accounts

for the lion's share of increasing coal use for power generation

in Southeast Asia. More than half of its current capacity is

powered by coal and clean energy sources including hydropower

account for less than 15%.

The country, however, plans to offer international investors

opportunities to build 75 gigawatts (GW) of renewable power over

the next 15 years.

But funding remains an issue. Indonesia was promised $20

billion as part of the G7's Just Energy Transition Partnership

(JETP) unveiled in 2022, but very little money has been

disbursed and that slow progress has hampered its efforts to cut

emissions.

Yulaswati said JETP has so far approved grants for 33

decarbonisation projects in Indonesia worth $217.8 million,

including one that would increase the number of electric

vehicles on the tourist island of Bali. Another six projects

worth $78.4 million are currently under discussion, she said.

Loans of up to $6.1 billion have been approved, mainly to

upgrade the national grid and develop the renewable energy

sector, she added.

Yulaswati said the interest rates for the loans have yet to

be finalised. Rates on loans have been a contentious topic, with

Indonesian officials blaming Western nations for not providing

concessional funding under JETP.

The JETP projects have yet to be implemented, she said,

adding that funding will start next year which is when

Indonesia's next 5-year economic planning cycle will begin.