Govt plans public hearing on nuclear power plant: BATAN<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In an attempt to win the public over to its
\nnuclear power program, the government plans to give the public
\nthe opportunity to scrutinize the project at a hearing.<\/p>\n
\"The hearing may be held sometime in 1996 during the last
\nphase of the preliminary studies for the nuclear plant,\" Djali
\nAhimsa, Director General of the National Atomic Agency (BATAN)
\nsaid yesterday.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after attending a lecture on nuclear
\nsafety by Ivan Selin of the United States Nuclear Regulatory
\nCommission (NRC), Djali said the hearing would serve as a forum
\nwhere the public would be given the chance to learn about the
\nnuclear plants and air their views regarding the program.<\/p>\n
Djali said the government never intended to lead the public to
\nblindly accept the plan by delaying the hearing until such a late
\ndate.<\/p>\n
\"During the hearing we want to tell the people that nuclear
\npower is a clean technology and it is for our future,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said discussions about the nuclear program would be
\norganized by the government and House of Representatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
The government and the House would first study the process and
\norganization of the hearing from other countries, especially the
\nUnited States.<\/p>\n
Djali said Batan had approached a number of non-governmental
\norganizations (NGO) critical of the program, to explain the
\nnuclear plants to them.<\/p>\n
\"Some of the NGOs do not want to listen, but we always listen
\nto their opinions,\" he said, adding that a public hearing is
\nunprecedented in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Djali said the government envisages that two power reactors
\nwould start operation in the next 10 years.<\/p>\n
The government has announced a plan to build 12 nuclear power
\nplants on Java in the next 25 years at the rate of one every two
\nyears, with capacities varying between 600 and 1,000 megawatts,
\nto help the country cope with the rapid increase in demand for
\nelectricity.<\/p>\n
A feasibility study regarding the plants has been completed by
\nNewJec, a subsidiary of the Japanese Kansai electricity company,
\nwhich has political power in Japan. The consultants were paid 1.5
\nbillion yen (Rp 2.9 trillion) to carry out the study.<\/p>\n
Djali said that the government has not made a decision on
\nwhich nuclear technology it would use.<\/p>\n
Important<\/p>\n
It has been reported that Westinghouse of the United States
\nand Mitsubishi of Japan are two of the leading contenders to win
\nthe project to build Indonesia's first nuclear power plant.<\/p>\n
Selin said that public hearings played an important role in
\nthe decision to build nuclear plants in the United States.<\/p>\n
During the hearings, NRC held discussions with the
\nCongressional members and non-governmental organizations.<\/p>\n
The decision on whether to develop nuclear energy belongs to
\nIndonesia alone, he said, stressing that his commission has no
\ninterests in the construction of the nuclear plants here.<\/p>\n
\"It is a decision that will have a profound effect on
\nIndonesia's future. As demonstrated in the U.S., Japan, Western
\nEurope and elsewhere, it is possible to develop nuclear power
\nsafely if one gives safety the priority it deserves,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He stated that among the elements especially important in
\nestablishing and maintaining adequate nuclear safety were a firm
\nlegal foundation for a strong and independent regulatory
\nauthority to monitor and enforce the high levels of safety and
\nthe application of rigorous nuclear standards which cover all
\naspects of the nuclear fuel system.<\/p>\n
Selin said Indonesia was on the edge of nuclear power and had
\nmade tremendous progress in building the infrastructure essential
\nfor the safe successful development of nuclear power.<\/p>\n
NRC has trained a core group of nuclear safety personnel and
\nare now hosting four BATAN staff members who are learning the
\nphilosophy and basic regulations in the U.S, he added. (par)<\/p>",
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