Electricity and nuclear

Electricity and nuclear

From Jayakarta

That the European community has downright rejected the nuclear
project reflects the political impact of the Chernobyl disaster
on the European region. With this new awareness, the European
community is totally opposed to the policy which concerns
development of nuclear power stations in their respective
countries through referendum.

Those who are in favor of the development of nuclear energy in
Indonesia have kept this information from the public. In his book
Nuklir dari Bom ke Listrik (Nuclear Energy from Bomb to
Electricity), Suyitno, head of Bureau of the Socialization of
National Association of Nuclear Energy Society, states among
other things that there was a substantial increase of electrical
power between 1979 and 1986, which is true. But this increase
occurred only in eight countries like France, Germany, and
Hungary, to name but three. How do other European countries, such
as Austria, Greece, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland,
Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Great Britain react to the
nuclear energy problem?

Suyitno also speaks of an increase in nuclear energy in the
United States, France and Germany. However, World Watch also
provides information concerning the society's increasing
rejection of additional nuclear power stations in those three
countries.

It is clear that the society has a strong say in determining
whether or not a nuclear power station is needed, not the
government or nuclear scientists. It is the people who will be at
risk with the consequence of nuclear project once it is ready for
operation.

ANDREAS ISWINARTO

Jakarta