Indonesia is reviving its plans to build a nuclear power plant, with\none of the targeted locations being an uninhabited island in West\nKalimantan. The plan has drawn attention from Japanese media amid\nIndonesia\u2019s efforts to reduce its dependence on coal and pursue\ndecarbonisation targets.<\/p>\n
In a Kyodo News report titled \u2018Indonesia eyes uninhabited island for\n1st nuclear power plant\u2019, Acting Head of the Nuclear Energy Regulatory\nAgency (BAPETEN) Zainal Arifin said the current moment is the right time\nfor Indonesia to make a decision regarding the construction of a nuclear\npower plant.<\/p>\n
\u2018This is the right moment for Indonesia to make a decision regarding\nnuclear power plants,\u2019 Zainal said in the report.<\/p>\n
The government began reviving discussions on the nuclear project last\nyear after the plan had been delayed for decades. Deputy Minister of\nEnergy and Mineral Resources Yuliot said Indonesia\u2019s new energy strategy\nwill explicitly include nuclear energy to \u2018balance the energy mix and\nachieve decarbonisation targets\u2019.<\/p>\n
One of the main candidate locations is Semesak Island in Bengkayang\nRegency, West Kalimantan. The island is approximately 900 metres from\nSungai Raya Village and has no residents, although the surrounding\nwaters are often used by fishermen to catch shrimp.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is targeting Indonesia\u2019s\nfirst nuclear power plant to be operational by 2032 at the earliest. The\ngovernment is also aiming for nuclear energy to contribute up to 12.1%\nof the primary energy mix by 2060, with installed capacity reaching\n35-42 gigawatts.<\/p>\n
The plan has received support from Bengkayang Regent Sebastianus\nDarwis, who hopes the nuclear power plant can serve as a catalyst for\nbringing industry to the region.<\/p>\n
\u2018Nuclear is clean energy. It is proof of a developed nation and\nbrings pride,\u2019 Darwis told Kyodo News, expressing hope that Bengkayang\ncould become the first region in Southeast Asia to operate a nuclear\npower plant.<\/p>\n
However, the plan has also raised concerns among residents and energy\nwatchdog groups. Fisherman Haripan said he is afraid of the impact of a\nnuclear power plant and the possibility of accidents like Chernobyl or\nFukushima.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Institute for Essential Services\nReform (IESR) Fabby Tumiwa assessed that the project still faces\neconomic and safety issues.<\/p>\n
\u2018I am very critical of this. Not because of ideology, but because I\nsee it as economically unfeasible and there are safety issues,\u2019 he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The government plans to acquire approximately 300 hectares of land on\nthe island and a buffer zone on the mainland opposite it. Indonesia has\nalso begun receiving international support, including from Japan and\nRussia, while the government has stated it will prioritise small modular\nreactor (SMR) technology in the development of its first nuclear power\nplant.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreign-media-highlights-indonesias-nuclear-project-plan-on-uninhabited-island-1787449832", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }