RI to hold nuclear seminar

RI to hold nuclear seminar

A seminar will be held in Jakarta for two days
this week to discuss the possible development of nuclear power
plants in Indonesia.

The seminar, jointly organized by the National Atomic Agency
(Batan) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was scheduled from May
17 through May 18 at the Jakarta Hilton International hotel, a
spokesman for the Japanese company, Hideo Ikuno, said in a
statement on Saturday.

"We expect some 100 participants from various nuclear-related
agencies in Indonesia such as Batan and the Nuclear Energy
Control Board (Bapeten)," he said.

Ikuno said local initiatives aimed to introduce nuclear power
generation in Indonesia ground to a standstill after the economic
crises began in late 1997. The resignation the following year of
president Soeharto, who had been the driving force behind the
program, further weakened its chances of resuming in the future.

Recently, however, momentum towards the goal had gathered
renewed strength, he said.

The country first launched plans to introduce nuclear power
generation in the late 1980s. Initially, the program progressed
quickly with a feasibility study targeting 2003 for the opening
of a 1,800 megawatt (MW) nuclear power plant. -- JP