Government denies plan on nuclear power plant
Government denies plan on nuclear power plant
KARAWANG, West Java (JP): State Minister of Research and
Technology B.J. Habibie reiterated Thursday that the government
had no intention of building a nuclear power plant this year.
Habibie said that nuclear would remain the country's last
energy resort.
"Any plan to build a nuclear power plant will depend on how
the (energy supply) situation develops," Habibie said.
Habibie contradicted his earlier statement that development of
the country's first nuclear plant would start this year and would
operate by 2003.
In a more recent statement, he said the controversial plan
might be postponed until 2030.
Then on Tuesday, he said President Soeharto had enacted a law
to let the government start building a nuclear power plant in
2006. He said a feasibility study was underway and could be
completed in six months.
Anti-nuclear activists have protested the law, saying that it
should be revised so that the public has the right to decide
whether they want nuclear power.
Habibie said, after the House of Representatives approved the
bill, that Indonesia would adopt nuclear power once other energy
sources failed to meet future demand.
Preliminary studies, costing Rp 22 billion (US$9.5 million),
including the feasibility study, on a nuclear power plant have
been ongoing for 20 years near the dormant Mt. Muria volcano in
Jepara, Central Java.
Bewildered
In Jakarta, State Minister for Environment Sarwono
Kusumaatmadja said yesterday he was bewildered by reports on the
nuclear power plant.
"This issue should no longer be fussed over. President
Soeharto, Habibie and I have repeatedly said that going nuclear
is the country's last alternative," Sarwono told reporters.
"There has been not one indication that a nuclear plant will
be built soon. Now, is it possible that three officials are
telling the same lie?" he asked.
Sarwono said the country was adhering to an energy policy
based on diversified resources.
"The fact that we have many other energy sources, and all of
them are feasible, has made nuclear power the last option," he
said.
Sarwono said there was no reason to build a nuclear plant in
Indonesia.
"If we did so, we would only be looking for trouble," he said,
"Building it would be difficult for the country politically,
technically and economically," he added.
He said that construction of a nuclear power plant would have
to clear many hurdles including an approval from the House of
Representatives.
The new nuclear law requires the government to gain the
House's approval before building a nuclear power plant.
Sarwono said the government had studied other energy sources
such as micro and macro hydro electricity, geothermal power and
wind power.
"Of the country's geothermal potential, estimated at 19,000
megawatts of electricity, we are only using 3 percent," Sarwono
said. (aan/bnt/amd)