Observers raise concerns over nuclear power bill
<p>Observers raise concerns over nuclear power bill</p><p> JAKARTA (JP): A nuclear expert and an environmentalist said
yesterday the manner in which the nuclear power bill was rushed
through the House of Representatives raised doubts about the
government's real intentions.</p><p>They said the haste to get the bill through the House
contradicted statements by State Minister of Research and
Technology B.J. Habibie that the government would go nuclear only
"as a last resort".</p><p>On Wednesday, the day the House passed the bill, Habibie
repeated the promise, saying that the government would not build
a nuclear power plant in the near future.</p><p>Independent nuclear expert Iwan Kurniawan and environmentalist
Mas Achmad Santosa said the new law could only have been made to
legitimize the government's intention to build a nuclear power
plant.</p><p>Iwan said it was a fact that the government (through its
National Atomic Agency) planned to set up its first nuclear plant
in 1998 and have it operating by the year 2004.</p><p>"If going nuclear were to be our last alternative, we
should've chosen to research nuclear power simply to prepare
ourselves, instead of going straight to a power plant
construction project," Iwan said.</p><p>The government, through several officials, has revealed its
plan to construct nuclear power plants capable of generating
7,200 megawatts of electricity per day near the dormant volcano
Mt. Muria in Jepara, Central Java.</p><p>Iwan, however, said he believed there was still a chance the
government would decide not to go ahead with its plan.</p><p>He said a nuclear power plant normally takes five years to
build, and many things could happen during that period.</p><p>Factors that could stop the plant being established include a
decline in the state's economy and political change.</p><p>"So the presence of the nuclear power law does not directly
clear the way for the government to have a nuclear plant." Iwan
said.</p><p>The government would have to calculate its foreign loans
before deciding whether to go nuclear, because it would have to
buy very expensive technology, he said.</p><p>"We would still have to import the fuel for the plant, and the
country's lack of skills could stop the project," he said, adding
that at present Indonesia "is only capable of providing sites for
nuclear plants."</p><p>Mas Achmad Santosa of the Indonesian Center for Environmental
Law said the House ignored public aspirations by endorsing the
bill after only 37 days of deliberation.</p><p>"There should've been a chance for comments and debates," he
said.</p><p>Santosa said that with the newly endorsed bill at hand, the
government had already secured all the legal basis it needed to
construct a nuclear power plant.</p><p>As for Habibie's promise, Santosa said: "It's an official
statement. The law doesn't mention nuclear as the last energy
option, does it?"</p><p>Santosa said the law's stipulation that the government needs
to "consult the House" before constructing a nuclear power plant,
has "a very weak legal basis". (aan)</p>
yesterday the manner in which the nuclear power bill was rushed
through the House of Representatives raised doubts about the
government's real intentions.</p><p>They said the haste to get the bill through the House
contradicted statements by State Minister of Research and
Technology B.J. Habibie that the government would go nuclear only
"as a last resort".</p><p>On Wednesday, the day the House passed the bill, Habibie
repeated the promise, saying that the government would not build
a nuclear power plant in the near future.</p><p>Independent nuclear expert Iwan Kurniawan and environmentalist
Mas Achmad Santosa said the new law could only have been made to
legitimize the government's intention to build a nuclear power
plant.</p><p>Iwan said it was a fact that the government (through its
National Atomic Agency) planned to set up its first nuclear plant
in 1998 and have it operating by the year 2004.</p><p>"If going nuclear were to be our last alternative, we
should've chosen to research nuclear power simply to prepare
ourselves, instead of going straight to a power plant
construction project," Iwan said.</p><p>The government, through several officials, has revealed its
plan to construct nuclear power plants capable of generating
7,200 megawatts of electricity per day near the dormant volcano
Mt. Muria in Jepara, Central Java.</p><p>Iwan, however, said he believed there was still a chance the
government would decide not to go ahead with its plan.</p><p>He said a nuclear power plant normally takes five years to
build, and many things could happen during that period.</p><p>Factors that could stop the plant being established include a
decline in the state's economy and political change.</p><p>"So the presence of the nuclear power law does not directly
clear the way for the government to have a nuclear plant." Iwan
said.</p><p>The government would have to calculate its foreign loans
before deciding whether to go nuclear, because it would have to
buy very expensive technology, he said.</p><p>"We would still have to import the fuel for the plant, and the
country's lack of skills could stop the project," he said, adding
that at present Indonesia "is only capable of providing sites for
nuclear plants."</p><p>Mas Achmad Santosa of the Indonesian Center for Environmental
Law said the House ignored public aspirations by endorsing the
bill after only 37 days of deliberation.</p><p>"There should've been a chance for comments and debates," he
said.</p><p>Santosa said that with the newly endorsed bill at hand, the
government had already secured all the legal basis it needed to
construct a nuclear power plant.</p><p>As for Habibie's promise, Santosa said: "It's an official
statement. The law doesn't mention nuclear as the last energy
option, does it?"</p><p>Santosa said the law's stipulation that the government needs
to "consult the House" before constructing a nuclear power plant,
has "a very weak legal basis". (aan)</p>