Batan lambasted over nuclear project

DEPOK, West Java (JP): A legislator charged yesterday that the National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan) has turned a deaf ear to people's objections to a government plan to build a nuclear reactor.

"They do not even listen to what the House of Representatives says," said Laksmiari Priyonggo, a House member for the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).

Laksmiari made the remarks in a debate about the government's nuclear plan at the University of Indonesia's School of Economics in Depok.

She pointed out that the nuclear project cannot go ahead without the support of the people, adding that the project is against every single tenet of Pancasila.

She also charged that Batan has never delivered a "reasoned argument" for the plan.

The participants of the nuclear debate comprised experts from various backgrounds, including environmentalist Emmy Hafild, political analyst Ekky Syachrudin and a bevy of government officials.

No Batan officials showed up, for reasons unknown.

Batan is planning to build a 1800 megawatt nuclear power plant on the Muria peninsula in Central Java. It is expected to begin operations in 2003.

"Building the nuclear plant without knowing what to do with its waste is going against the law of nature... and that means we are trampling on Pancasila's first principle: Belief in Almighty God," Laksmiari said.

Yoga Pratomo from the Ministry of Mining and Energy came out in defense of the project. He said it would be Indonesia's last source of energy if other resources prove inadequate for the country's needs.

"We will turn to nuclear power as the last choice. The other resources are just not good enough, or too polluting, or too expensive. We must take a long view. We cannot extract all of our oil. And a nuclear power plant is cost-effective," said Yoga, who is in charge of the Ministry's Environmental Impact Studies for Electricity.

Yoga's argument was attacked by I Nengah Sudja, a former assistant to the director of the state-owned electricity company.

More expensive

He presented data to prove that the nuclear project would be US$2 billion more expensive than the total cost of a coal power plant for the same amount of electricity generated.

"These figures are taken from NEWJEC's nuclear power plant feasibility studies and the Tanjung Jati coal power plant project proposal. It shows that economically the nuclear power plant is not competitive," he said.

NEWJEC of Japan was Batan's consultant and conducted the feasibility studies.

Suja also criticized Batan's refusal to solicit the public's opinions. "Before planning to build the nuclear plant, we must have the people's approval first. Batan has not done that. It hasn't even made a budget yet."

Indonesian Environmental Forum executive director Emmy Hafild joined in the chorus criticizing the nuclear plan.

"The risk is just too enormous. It exceeds any possible benefit. Now, even developed countries are not into nuclear power any more. And that has made the nuclear industry look to developing countries, which rarely involve the public in the decision-making process," she said.

She added that her organization is not allowed to give information about the dangers of the envisaged nuclear plant to Muria residents. "They get information from Batan alone."

But surprisingly, TV commentator Ekky Syachrudin, well-known for his criticism of government policies, took a neutral stand.

"Everything in this world carries a risk. We cannot avoid that. So don't attack the nuclear policy because it has risks. The government has declared that nuclear power is the last choice. I think we should be grateful to the government for that." (06)