Jakarta,
Nov 30 (Antara) - The government has reiterated its determination to
build a nuclear power plant (PLTN) to provide inexpensive electricity
for its fast growing population, now reaching about 250 million people.
Yet, it is still undecided where the plant will be located, after the
initial plan to build in the Muria Peninsula, Central Java, was scrapped
following persistent opposition from local residents, non-governmental
organizations and environmentalists.
Over the years, groups have expressed opposition to the plan. The
government was advised to develop, instead, environmentally friendly
sources for power, such as water, solar energy and harnessing sea
currents.
Indonesian Research and Technology Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta said
on Friday that the government is resolved to continue its plan to build a
nuclear power plant, arguing that over 76 percent of the people have
agreed to the development of a PLTN.
"We will build a nuclear reactor for generating power," Minister Gusti
Muhammad Hatta said. However, the location of the nuclear power plant,
which will have a capacity of approximately 30 MW, has not yet been
decided.
According to a survey conducted by an independent organization for the
National Nuclear Energy Agency, BATAN, 76.5 percent of Indonesians
approve of nuclear development for scientific and technological
purposes, such as energy development, medical care, animal husbandry and
food security.
Yet the public has also expressed opposition to the government's plan
to build a PLTN, fearing the dangers it might pose due to radioactive
leaks.
According to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) data,
radioactive waste would remain dangerous for 24 thousand years.
Therefore, a couple of years ago, Lilo Sunaryo, a nuclear turbine expert
who graduated from a university in Russia, said nuclear waste needed
special handling to prevent it from creating environmental problems.
The peril of a nuclear incident is the main reason behind the public¿s
opposition. The explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Russia in
1986 and the leakage at Mihama's nuclear reactor in Japan in 2004 are
still fresh on their minds. In Chernobyl, ten years after the leak,
thousands of people died of exposure to discharged radioactive material.
However, before starting to build a nuclear power reactor, the
government, through the National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAN), has
carried out 30 years of feasibility studies with consultants from the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 1976, from Italy in 1984,
from BECHTEL (US) in 1984 and from the United States and Japan in 1994.
Gusti
Muhammad Hatta said nuclear is not something mysterious. It has been
used in various fields for the welfare of the public and, therefore, the
government is resolved to build a nuclear power plant.
"It is not something ghostlike. It has been utilized in various
fields," the minister said, explaining that nuclear sciences have been
used in the agricultural field to develop pest immune yielding foods
through a radiation mutation technique.
Nuclear technology is
also used in the health field, such as in the examination of kidney
functions, in diagnosing cancers, and as a therapy.
"BATAN has also been successful in developing nuclear technology to
preserve food," the minister added. Through a process of radiation
technique, foods could be preserved for a period of 1.5 years.
BATAN
Head Djarot S Wisnubroto said, meanwhile, that his agency continued to
develop nuclear power for the good of the people. "We focus our research
on food, health, medication, energy, industry and natural resources,"
noted Djarot.
He said that nuclear science and technology was very useful for people.
But the abuse of nuclear power, such as in World War II, has led the
public to have a poor image about nuclear technology.
Therefore, Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta said the government would go ahead with its nuclear power plan.
"We have one small reactor in Serpong, Banten Province, but it is
primarily used for research. It is time to build a reactor that actually
generates electricity," the minister noted.
He added that Indonesia has been managing the operation of nuclear
reactors for 30 years. "We also have several nuclear experts with
international certification," the minister pointed out.
The expectation is that the new nuclear power plant will be located in
Bangka Belitung (Babel) province, which is rich in uranium deposits.
"The government is committed to continuously disseminating information
about nuclear reactors and their development to the community," Gusti
added.
It was reported some time ago that studies were in progress to build
two nuclear power plants in Babel, with a capacity of 10,600 Megawatts.
Nuclear power plants are expected to supply and meet 40 percent of the
need for electricity in Sumatra, Java and Bali.
"The nuclear power plants are expected to become operational by 2025 or
2030 and, hopefully, they will meet 40 percent of the electricity need
in Sumatra, Java and Bali," said Governor of Bangka Belitung Province
Ekon Maulana Ali.
According to plan, the government will build two nuclear power plants
with a combined capacity of 10,600 MW. One will be built in West Bangka
district with a capacity of 10,000 MW and another one in Permis, South
Bangka, with a capacity of 600 MW.
"The
central government hopes that by 2013-2015 the preparatory and
planning stages would have been completed. If the site test results
show that it is feasible and appropriate for nuclear power plant
construction, then the government would continue the project," he said.
However, the governor was sure that the project would go on. "The plan
to build nuclear plants in South and West Bangka to generate
electricity would be implemented," he said.
He further said the nuclear power plant construction plan was a central
government policy which had been included in its master plan, designed
to accelerate and expand the nation¿s development.
He said that the government intended to develop a nuclear power plant
as another source for electricity to meet its national need for power
supplies amid depleting oil and gas reserves. Fuel reserves from fossil
fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, were now being depleted because they
were not only used at home, but also exported in large volumes.
"Hydropower sources are also declining because of weather anomalies and environmental damage," he said.
Therefore,
alternative energy, nuclear in particular, needs to be developed to
meet the high need for electricity, yet he admitted that the
construction of a nuclear plant would take a long time, as the
government was still in the process of surveying it and carrying out
site tests in Babel.
He said that for the construction of one plant with a capacity of one
gigawatt, funds of Rp35 trillion were needed.***3***
(T.A014/INE/O001)
(EDITED BY INE)
(T.A014/A/BESSR/O. Tamindael) 30-11-2013 11:40 |
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