Activists Rally Against Nuclear Power in Blackout-Prone Indonesia

Plans to construct a nuclear power plant in Indonesia have received global attention as anti-nuke activists from Japan meet with local campaigners

Jakarta Globe,  Cory Rogers, Mar 11, 2014

The installation of a nuclear research reactor at an operation hall of the
 National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) complex in Serpong on April 23,
2013. (AFP Photo)

Yogyakarta/Jakarta. A government-backed plan to construct nuclear power plants in Indonesia has been met with backlash by several local groups in the archipelago, highlighting the tensions nuclear power projects face in a post-Fukushima world.

Recently announced plans to make the West Java district of Subang the site of Indonesia’s fourth nuclear reactor has pushed a decades-long conflict back into the spotlight, pitting those who view the establishment of nuclear power plants as a valuable addition to Indonesia’s energy portfolio against others who say the social and environmental risks of radioactive contamination outweigh the potential benefit.

Critics point out that Indonesia’s geologic position atop the “Ring of Fire” makes it particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions — events that drastically increase the odds of a nuclear tragedy. These concerns are augmented by fears that rampant corruption and graft will undermine the government’s ability to implement and then manage costly safety protocols.

In January, Japanese representatives from No Nukes Asia Actions (NNAA), a Tokyo-based anti-nuclear coalition, gathered with Indonesian activists in Balong, Central Java, to discuss resistance strategies and the prospects of an international partnership to thwart the prospect of nuclear power in Indonesia.

“With Fukushima, the whole world witnessed the terrible effects of nuclear disaster,” NNAA rep Seung Choo told some 200 residents in Balong over two days of talks. “Now, we must say no more nuclear plants — not here in Indonesia or anywhere else.”

Balong provided a fitting backdrop to the event: in 2007, growing fears over a proposed nuclear power plant cohered into an alliance of local residents, business owners, religious groups and students that eventually thwarted government plans to break ground in 2014.

In 2007, the Jepara branch of Nahdatul Ulama (NU), Indonesia’s largest Muslim organization, even issued a fatwa against the proposed plant, drawing the ire of state officials who had been courting the group for support.

But nuclear plans in Indonesia have been on the table for a large chunk of the nation’s modern history.

Nuclear power plays

The National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan), created by former President Sukarno in 1964, has been Indonesia’s most strident nuclear energy advocate. The organization has aired hopes to establish three fully operational nuclear power plants in the country by 2025, a plan that has been embraced as part of Indonesia’s Master Plan for the Acceleration and Expansion of Indonesia’s Economic Development (MP3EI).

Batan spokesman Eko Madi Parmanto says claims of public resistance to nuclear power have been greatly exaggerated in Indonesia.

“We’ve periodically conducted surveys to measure people’s acceptance of the nuclear plant plan,” Eko told the Jakarta Globe last week. “The latest national survey in 2013 indicates that 67.6 percent of respondents support the plan.”

The agency views nuclear energy as an alternative to Indonesia’s addiction to unsustainable fossil fuels that pollute the environment and contribute to climate change. Indonesia has a wealth of potential in safe, renewable energy sources such as solar, hydro and geothermal, but oil, coal and natural gas still provide more than over 80 percent of the nation’s power. Only 12 percent of the country’s energy is provided by renewable sources.

In geothermal power alone, Indonesia is operating at a mere 4.2 percent of its potential output, despite sitting astride 40 percent of the world’s geothermal resources.

Oil, which accounts for about 30 percent of the country’s current energy supply, is now mostly imported, leaving the country vulnerable to unhedged price volatility together with currency fluctuations. In addition, oil — along with coal and natural gas — powers an electrical grid still suffering from chronic energy shortages throughout the country. Millions of poor, rural Indonesians, especially in eastern Indonesia, remain without electricity, and struggles to meet existing electricity needs are made worse by an 8 percent annual rise in demand.

The situation requires huge government subsidies in fuel and electricity just to keep up, consuming 41 percent of all government expenditures; more than what is budgeted for education, environmental protection, health, and housing combined. In 2013, some 13 percent of the nation’s subsidized fuel was used at power plants, according to government agency data.

According to Batan, nuclear power plants would play only a minor role in addressing these multi-pronged energy woes, adding just 5 percent to Indonesia’s total energy production if the government’s 2025 energy diversification goals were met.

Gus Nung presents in front of the Japanese representatives of No Nukes
Asia Actions (NNAA) on January 12, 2014. (JG Photo/Cory Rogers)

Resistance to Batan-led advocacy

At the local level, Batan has drawn criticism for its attempts to win support among populations living near proposed plants, which over the years have included sites in Balong, Bangka-Belitung, Kalimantan and Madura.

The promotional efforts carried out by Batan were key in galvanizing opposition to the proposed plant back in the mid 2000s, said Daviq, the secretary of the Balong Community Union (PMB), a local anti-nuclear energy group.

That advocacy campaign, which called for annual outlays of $2.5 million to fund scholarship programs, social events and a host of other activities, highlighted the benefits of nuclear power while, according to Daviq, making scant mention of its risks. When public queries about the program failed to produce useful information, many grew skeptical of the plan.

“We finally made the decision that OK, if the government is not willing to give the information to us, then we must seek it for ourselves,” he said.

Iwan Kurniawan, a lecturer at the Jakarta-based Institute of Archipelago Business, recalled similar transparency concerns at play in Madura, East Java, where in 2003 Batan was busy promoting another nuclear plant. Formerly a nuclear physicist with Batan who left the agency over an undisclosed dispute, Iwan said that in order to assuage safety concerns voiced by locals, Batan made spurious claims regarding its capacity to install the latest and safest model plant in Madura.

“The kind of plant being discussed was still in its research phase in South Korea,” Iwan said, explaining that such a plant could not be promised. He added that localities targeted by Batan-led nuclear advocacy were frequently vulnerable to this kind of misinformation.

“When Batan comes and discusses the benefits, I come and discuss the risks to create a more balanced perspective,” he said.

As in Balong, once the risks of nuclear contamination became apparent, public opposition stymied construction of the proposed plant in Madura. Activists argued that given the amount of untapped alternative energy sources that existed, the risks of nuclear disaster were avoidable and unjustifiable.

The nation’s nuclear power agency denied the allegations, explaining that Batan attempts to inform the public about leakage, natural disaster, and operators’ negligence risks as well as detailed information on how plant operators would ensure safety.

“We’ve also developed an information system on our website, and people can ask us via email about this safety technology,” Eko said.

Socialization campaigns remain crucial to successful implementation at proposed sites “only if the government has seriously designed the nuclear power plant program,” Eko explained.

“There are currently no plans for research at other locations,” he said.

The global business of nuclear power

If domestic resistance to nuclear power has hinged on countering Batan’s campaigns, the international strategy advocated by the NNAA seeks to shed a critical light on the corporate interests driving nuclear energy.

According to NNAA representative Seung Choo, business-friendly regulations in Japan that reallocate risk to nuclear operators encourage investment by companies like Toshiba, GE and Hitachi — the companies that build the plants. Japan’s 1961 Act of Compensation for Nuclear Damages mandates that the nuclear power operators, as opposed to the suppliers, assume exclusive accountability for any nuclear damage caused by an accident, making taxpayers ultimately responsible for damages.

This creates what Seung Choo calls a “crisis of liability,” where corporations that stand to profit from construction have less incentive to prioritize safety.

These laws work to promote “the sound development of the nuclear industry,” the NNAA said in a statement, and the group fears such business-friendly regulations will be replicated elsewhere as nuclear suppliers seek to access markets like Indonesia.

According to Indonesia’s 1997 Nuclear Power Act, if the country were to successfully establish a nuclear power plant, the suppliers would be responsible for up to Rp 900 billion ($76 million) in damages to be doled out over a maximum period of 30 years, regardless of the actual cost of damages.

Recent studies have shown that radiation-induced cancer can take as long as 40 years to develop, and the financial recovery of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant disaster will approach $250 billion dollars.

Attempts to contact the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises for clarification on current regulations were unsuccessful.

In response to the situation in Japan, where the corporate builders of nuclear power plants are shielded from restitution, the NNAA is challenging whether the 1961 act in court was constitutional.

Armed with 22 lawyers, their recently filed suit seeks redress for Japanese victims, and to inspire citizens in other nations to “abolish special legal provisions that protect nuke businesses all around the world,” the group said in a statement.

The suit seeks 10,000 plaintiffs worldwide to sign over power of attorney so that the NNAA can represent them in court. “Anyone can be a plaintiff,” Choo said. “Even someone traumatized by the media coverage qualifies as a victim.” If the NNAA wins, these foreign plaintiffs will receive a symbolic, one-dollar payout.

In Balong, the NNAA made hundreds of documents available for signing. Many, including Nuruddin Amin, the head of the Hasyim Asy’ari Pesantren (Islamic boarding school) in Bangsri, Central Java, and a longtime supporter of the anti-nuclear cause, expressed enthusiasm for the strategy.

“The Fukushima accident is not only a tragedy for the Japanese,” Nuruddin said. “It is a tragedy for the whole world, and I hope we all will join to sign this power of attorney so that we can work on this issue together.”

Many Indonesian activists, however, remained mindful that the first battle remains on the home front, helping provide balanced information to communities earmarked for nuclear power plant development.

For Iwan, the resistance coalitions that fought a successful battle in Balong ought to provide guidance and direction as the drive for domestic nuclear power progresses.

“Here we have a model of resistance that can be delivered elsewhere,” he said.

— Erwida Maulia contributed to this report in Jakarta

Women shout slogans in front of the National Diet in Tokyo

on March 9, 2014 as they take part in a rally denouncing nuclear

power plants (AFP, Toru Yamanaka)

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Indonesian President Backs Away From Nuclear Power Plant Proposal

Jakarta Globe, June 18, 2011

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President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has poured cold water on the idea of building nuclear power plants in Indonesia.

Yudhoyono’s comments in Japan are likely to be a major blow to Indonesia’s nuclear lobby, which most recently proposed two sites in Bangka Belitung province for two nuclear power plants, claiming it had the support of local people.

Speaking during his visit to Japan on Friday, Yudhoyono was quoted by the Kyodo News as saying he had strong reservations about following through with the plans in Indonesia, which like Japan is susceptible to earthquakes and tsunamis.

“If we could build energy sources other than a nuclear energy plant, we will choose those kinds of energy sources,” Yudhoyono told Kyodo in Tokyo, adding that nuclear power was “very much debatable” and that safety must be ensured before going ahead.

“What happened in Japan last March can happen in Indonesia because (the two countries’) geography is very much similar,” he said in reference to the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which triggered an ongoing nuclear disaster.

Kyodo interpreted the remarks as meaning that Indonesia was “unlikely” to begin building a nuclear plant during his final term in office, which ends in October 2014.

Yudhoyono was quoted as saying that alternative sources of energy, including geothermal, solar and hydroelectric power, should be considered.

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Jakarta (ANTARA News) - A number of experts at a seminar on the welfare and safety aspects of nuclear power plants have advised against building such facilities in Indonesia.

Dr Ing Negah Sudja, former secretary of the Commission to Prepare the Building of Nuclear Power Plants, said the cost of constructing such a facility in Indonesia would be astronomical and not be economically viable.

Speaking at the seminar organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) here Thursday, he said although fueling a nuclear power plant would be less costly than other types of power generating facilities, "there will be other, very huge expenditures."

Among the other expenditures was the construction cost which would be 3 to 5 times the cost of a coal-fired thermal power plant because of the need for multi-layer safety precautions.

Citing examples, Negah said a contract to build four nuclear power plants with a capacity of 1,400 MW each between the United Arab Emirates and Korea had cost 20.4 billion US dollars. Another contract between Turkey and Russia for the construction of four units with a capacity of 1,200 MW each required 20 billion US dollars in funding.

In addition, the nuclear plants owner had to pay enormous sums for insurance and the safe storage of nuclear waste materials, Negah said.

Prof Rinaldy Dalimi PhD, a member of the National Energy Council (DEN), said Indonesia actually did not need to build nuclear power plants, if the government could correct some basic weakness or mistakes in its energy management policies.

Explaining his view, Rinaldy said Indonesia had very great energy potentials : its crude oil reserves still stood at 86.9 billion barrels, its natural gas reserves at 384.7 TSCF, coal reserves at 104 billion tons, hydro-power reserves at 75.67 GW, geothermal reserves at 27 GW, and biomass reserves at 49.81 GW.

"Regretfully, 75 percent of our coal production and 50 percent of our natural gas output is exported. Although we also import crude oil, a large portion of our own crude production is also exported. This is related to the long-term contracts the government has signed with foreign contractors whereby it has lost control over crude oil and gas production and export," he said.

"So to make our own energy sources capable of meeting our own needs, the government should correct its wrong energy management policies rather than build nuclear power plants." Rinaldy said.

Dr Irwan Kurniawan, head of the Nusantara Business Institute for Management Research and Development, said the world`s uranium reserves of 5.469 million tons were only enough to meet the global need of 65,405 tons per annum for a period of 83.6 more years. But because the world`s need for electricity was growing at 2.7 percent per annum , the uranium reserves would actually be sufficient for only 44 years.

"Meanwhile, Indonesia`s uranium reserves of 53,000 tons are enough to meet the needs of five 1,000-MW nuclear power plants over a period of 25 years. So Indonesia also does not have enough uranium to maintain nuclear power plants for up to 50 years," Irwan said.

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Antara News, Wed, March 30 2011

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government will maximize the use of new and renewable energy, especially geothermal, hydro-energy and bio-fuels, before deciding to use nuclear energy.

Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry`s Director General for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Luluk Sumiarso said here on Tuesday that the use of nuclear energy would be the last option.

"But the last option does not meant that nuclear is not prepared. It will remain being prepared but we are now still maximizing the use of other new and renewable energy such as geothermal, hydro-power, and bio-fuels which have a big potential for development," Luluk said.

According to him, the plan to build nuclear power plants (PLTN) would continue to go ahead with the principle of conformity, readiness, and safety.

"But the use of nuclear energy needs a political decision," Luluk said, adding that the case of nuclear power plant in Fukushima, Japan, would be a lesson for Indonesia.

He also said the government was revising the rules of new and renewable energy utilization in the energy mix that was previously targeted at 17 percent to be 25 percent in 2025.

"The revision of the energy mix is made by including nuclear and non nuclear," Luluk said.

He said the government would also make every effort to speed up the utilization of the new and renewable energy.

Therefore the government is currently carrying out the construction of the second phase 10,000 MW power plant with most of its energy will come from geothermal and hydro-power.

It is the target of the government that the geothermal capacity will increase by 2,000 MW in 2012 and rises to 5,000 MW in 2014 because the the country`s geothermal potential is 29,000 MW.

Luluk said that aside from geothermal energy, his party would also review the development of bio-fuels.

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State Electricity Company (PLN) says it does not need nuclear power plants — yet.

The comments follow a continued effort by the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) to push for the use of nuclear energy in Indonesia despite an international backlash due to the ongoing nuclear disaster in Japan.

“Commercially, Indonesia does not need nuclear power plants yet,” PLN president director Dahlan Iskan told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday.

He said producing nuclear energy was more expensive than producing electricity from coal and gas.

He said as well as coal and gas, which Indonesia had in abundance, other options included renewable energies, such as hydro and geothermal.

He did, however, say that it would be good for Indonesia to begin preparations for the possibility of using nuclear energy.

Batan is now focusing on the island of Batam as a proposed site for a nuclear power plant. Batam lies uncomfortably close to the major fault line that produced the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

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Nuclear power ‘not feasible’ for RI: Expert

Imung Yuniardi, The Jakarta Post, SEMARANG | Thu, 12/23/2010

Developing nuclear power in Indonesia is not feasible due to the huge initial investment required and the high price of uranium, a government energy expert says.

There is no reason for the Indonesian government to develop nuclear power plants (PLTN) given the lower costs of renewable energy power generators, according to Rinaldy Dalimi of the National Energy Council.

“This is no longer an issue of safety but more about investment calculations and a consideration of the fact that Indonesia will have to import uranium should it develop a PLTN,” Rinaldy said at a seminar on new and renewable energy in Semarang, Central Java, on Tuesday.

According to Rinaldy, who is also a professor at the University of Indonesia, the nation’s uranium reserves were relatively small and could only power a single 3,000-megawatt nuclear reactor for 11 years.

Plans to establish a nuclear power, first mooted during Soeharto’s era, have drawn criticism from environmental organizations.

During a hearing in May, legislators urged the government to be serious in realizing its plan to build a nuclear power plant in Jepara, Central Java.

Rinaldy said a nuclear power plant would require US$4,000 to produce a single kilowatt of electricity while a steam-powered generator would require $800 to produce the same amount.

“The price of the energy that [nuclear power plants] produce therefore will surely be much higher when compared to electricity produced by a PLTU or PLTG [gas-powered generator],” he said.

Pressure to develop nuclear power in Indonesia might have come from countries with nuclear technology such as Japan and Russia, he said, adding that only 15 percent of countries worldwide had nuclear power plants.

“They have approached Indonesia over consideration that the government’s policies still support the development of PLTNs.”

The main objective of establishing the National Atom Agency (BATAN) and other nuclear-related institutions over the last 56 years ago was not to produce electricity but to master nuclear technology, according to Rinaldy.

The government so far has heard only one side of the case for nuclear power development, Rinaldy said.

Rinaldy said that BATAN should organize a national forum where differing parties could meet and talk further about nuclear power development in Indonesia based on the latest developments in energy technology.

He said developed countries had been developing cheap sources of renewable energy such as solar cell technology.

“My suggestion is the government initiate the use of renewable energy. By 2050 at least 75 percent of energy used in Indonesia should be renewable.”

Electricity power pundit Nengah Sudja agreed, suggesting that BATAN should not promote nuclear power plants but instead investigate the use of nuclear energy in the areas of health and medicine, industry and research, food and agriculture.

Responsibility for electricity production should rest with state electricity company PT PLN or private companies, Nengah said.

Nengah said the government had not given sufficient support to research institutions such as BATAN, the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) to develop cheap sources of renewable energy.

President says nuclear power plant not a priority

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Bogor, West Java | Sat, 06/19/2010 11:58 AM

Despite the country's heavy dependence on fossil fuel, the administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is in no hurry to construct a nuclear power generator.

Yudhoyono said Friday there was no definitive plan to set up such a power plant under his administration although there was a discussion for setting one up on the coast of Jepara in Central Java.

"Maybe the next administration will consider such a plan should there be an urgent need for an alternative energy source," he said.

Yudhoyono reiterated that construction of a nuclear power plant would require meticulous planning as any mistake would have devastating consequences.

"Looking at alternatives to fossil fuels, the administration would focus more on developing power plants fueled by geothermal energy, wind, solar and biofuels," he said.

The administration of Megawati Soekarnoputri in early 2004 had initiated the construction of a nuclear generator, which was slated for completion by 2020.

Early in his first tenure, Yudhoyono had pledged to continue with the plan and made trips to several nuclear power plant contractors in South Korea in 2006.

The government also signed a deal with South Korea, Russia and the US to supply Indonesia with uranium for peaceful purposes.

However, neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Australia have reportedly raised concerns over the plan, saying that once Indonesia managed to construct the plant, the nation would be a step closer to producing nuclear weapons.

The government has also faced criticism from local NGOs and Greenpeace, which staged a rally in the middle of 2007 in Central Java, calling for the termination of the nuclear reactor plan.

With the power plant plans likely to be shelved indefinitely, the government has yet to prepare any serious efforts to accelerate the development of alternative energy.

Analysts have partly blamed bureaucracy problems and energy subsidies for discouraging efforts to develop alternative energy, providing no incentives to use energy in an efficient way as well as failing to make energy conservation a habit in society.

There are also restrictions on the state budget to finance other sectors, including the construction of energy infrastructure, which is a higher priority.

The government this year will spend more than US$5.8 billion on subsidizing electricity, more than half of which will go to diesel for fueling power plants.

Diesel accounts for only around 23 percent of the fuel to run power plants.

Four nuclear power plants planned for operation in 2017

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 03/20/2010 9:35 AM

A panel of nuclear experts said Thursday that nuclear electric power could benefit Indonesia in the future if handled correctly through complete understanding of regulations, team diligence and knowledge of plant equipment, operations and maintenance.

“What is really important is a high human motivation because it will increase both safety and availability,” Prof. Ishikawa Michio of the Japan Technology Nuclear Institute said in a seminar at the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology office in Central Jakarta.

“That is why you have to put a lot of money in the regulations for safety measures,” he added.

According to Hudi Hastowo of the National Nuclear Energy Agency of the Republic Indonesia, the country has done extensive preparatory work on most infrastructure issues that would allow it to introduce nuclear power.

Indonesia has established a national energy policy under Law No. 17 of 2007, which declares that nuclear energy will be part of the energy mix for 2015-2019.

As a result of this policy, the country is planning to construct four units of nuclear power plants of about 4,000 megawatts each, which are expected to start operations in 2017.

Nuclear energy is also expected to meet about 2 percent of the nation’s electricity demands by 2025.

Meanwhile, Research and Technology Minister Suharna Surapranata, who also attended the seminar on “Prospects of Nuclear Electric Power in Indonesia”, explained that energy security is crucial to national security.

“Nuclear technology is a necessity. In order to transform Indonesia into a developed country, we need to find alternative energy resources that are renewable and sustainable,” he said.

There are approximately 437 operating nuclear power plants worldwide, with 55 more units under construction.

As many as 60 countries, including Indonesia, are considering building nuclear plants, while 25 countries have shown interest in their development.

Last month civil society groups insisted that there were no urgent reasons to develop nuclear power plants in Indonesia, citing the country’s large sources of alternative energy, ranging from coal, geothermal heat, water, and wind.

They also said that the current severe energy shortage was due to the government’s failure to deal with energy resources, with most of the nation’s coal and gas being exported. (tsy)

There are approximately 437 operating nuclear power plants worldwide, with 55 more units under construction.

Indonesia will not develop nuclear power anytime soon: Minister

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 02/05/2010 3:01 PM

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh said the government had yet to consider developing nuclear energy for electricity generation.

"We will exploit other available energy sources first," Darwin told reporters Friday.

He added that the government would remain open to study the development of any alternative energy, including nuclear energy.

Currently, the biggest energy source for power plants operated by state utility firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PT PLN) is still coal, which is estimated to reach 44 percent of the company's total energy production this year.

PLN also generates power from oil-based fuels (19 percent), biofuel (1 percent), hydro (7 percent), gas (26 percent) and geothermal (2 percent).

PLN awaiting govt nuke power plant policy

Antara News, Wednesday, February 3, 2010 20:11 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State-owned power utility firm PLN is waiting for the government to issue a policy on when a nuclear power plant could be used to produce electricity, a PLN official said.

PLN`s Planning and Technology Director Nasri Sebayang said here on Wednesday PLN had not yet included a nuclear power plant as a power generator in its Power Distribution General Plan (RUPTL) for the period 2009-2018.

"The RUPTL is arranged based on the National Power Master Plan (RUKN) for 2008 - 2025 which does not either included any plan to develop a nuclear power plant," he said.

However, Nasri said, the PLN would continue to carry out research on the use of nuclear energy as a power generator and to follow the developments of nuclear power plant (PLTN) technology.

He said that the availability, projection, technical and economic aspects needed to be taken into account in planning the use of a PLTN project.

"Calculations on the social and political aspects as well its security matters also needed to be made," he added.

In the meantime nuclear expert Sutaryo Supadi said that actually the government had included a consideration to build a nuclear energy plant in its RUKN in 2007.

But in 2008, the consideration was eliminated in the RUKN and in PLN`s RUPTL concept.

He said that virtually, based on Law No. 17/2007 On the National Long-Term Development Plan (RJPN), a nuclear power plant was expected to be already operated in the period between 2015 abd 2019.

"Thus, based on the law, the construction of a nuclear power plant should have been started this year," he said.

Sutaryo added that the government needed to form a national team which was in charge of preparing a plan and a program for the development of a nuclear power plant.

Nuclear program on horizon: Government

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 12/03/2009 9:57 PM

The Ikata Nuclear Power Plant, a pressurized water reactor that cools by secondary coolant exchange with the ocean.

Despite previous protests and controversy, the Indonesian government has recently renewed plans to build Indonesia’s first nuclear power plant in Muria Peninsula, Central Java.

State Research and Technology Minister Suharna Surapranata, who has been serving in the new Cabinet for less than two months, said here Thursday that blueprints for the plant were in progress.

“The plan to build the nuclear power plant must go on,” Suharna said as quoted by Antara, on the sidelines of a meeting with the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten).

Among aspects still under consideration, Suharna said, included who would operate the plant once established — whether it would be the government or a private firm.

As for the location, the government seems to have stuck to the previous plan of building the plant in the Muria Peninsula in Jepara, Central Java.

As part of the process, the government is currently training and educating staff at Bapeten and the National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan), who are expected to run the power plant once it opens in 2016, Suharna said.

The construction of the plant is scheduled to begin next year.

Minister for the Environment Rejects Nuclear Power Plant

Thursday, 05 March, 2009 | 14:17 WIB 

TEMPO Interactive, Bandung: The Minister for the Environment Rachmat Witoelar, rejected the development plan of the nuclear power plant (PLTN). “It is a pollutant,” he said yesterday. 

He said that Indonesian workers are not ready to manage nuclear plants, and its construction is expensive. With the same budget which is around US$1.2 billion, he prefers to build a geothermal plant rather than a PLTN. 

He said the renewed energy would replace fossil energy. He mentioned that the priority of alternative energies should be geothermal, solar, wind, and plants. He refused the argument that renewed energy is expensive. 

ANWAR SISWADI

Indonesia to build four nuclear power plants by 2025

The Jakarta Post

Antara , Surakarta, Central Java | Wed, 03/12/2008 3:02 PM

The government plans to build four nuclear power plants by 2025 to meet electricity demand, State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman said Wednesday.

"If one nuclear power plant can produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity, we need four plants by 2025 to meet demand," he said during a visit to Surakarta's March 11 University.

"We have surveyed a number of sites for the nuclear plants including in northern Java and southern Kalimantan."

Kusmayanto said going nuclear was part of the country's 2004- 2025 long-term development plan.

The government plans to build the first nuclear power plant near Mt. Muria in Jepara, Central Java. The plant is expected to be operational by 2016 despite strong opposition from residents and environment activists.

"We have to start the construction this year. Otherwise, we will be behind schedule," Kusmayanto said.

"It is normal if there are parties who oppose the plan. We have prepared everything for the nuclear power plant from planning, technology, financing to human resources."

Indonesia currently has three nuclear reactors for scientific purposes in Bandung, Yogyakarta and Serpong, Banten.

Java, Bali facing more blackouts

Ika Krismantari and Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta-Bandung

Electricity supply in Java and parts of Bali is at a critical balance as the country's biggest coal-powered generator, located in Central Java, burned through the last of its coal Friday night, with continued high seas hampering delivery of more coal.

A spokesman for state power firm PT PLN, Ario Subijoko, said Friday high seas were preventing ships carrying coal from docking near the Tanjung Jati plant in Jepara, further jeopardizing electricity supplies in Java and parts of Bali already suffering from rotating blackouts.

He said if coal ships were still unable to dock in Jepara by Saturday, PLN would attempt to transport by truck coal from ships now docked at a port in Semarang, the capital of Central Java province.

"However, it will be difficult as the loading capacity of each truck is only 20 tons," Ario.

The 1,320-megawatt Tanjung Jati power plant requires a coal supply of 3,000 tons each day.

The trip between Semarang and the plant takes about 60 to 90 minutes, if traffic is not bad.

Ario said if it proved impossible to transport the coal overland, the Tanjung Jati plant would have to shut down. However, he refused to say how much of a power supply deficit Java and Bali would suffer in this event.

He reported PLN was able to reverse a 300 megawatt deficit in power supply for Java and parts of Bali to a surplus of 230 megawatts after successfully switching some of its power generators to diesel fuel from coal.

The power surplus, he said, was sustainable at least through Sunday as factories and offices shut down their operations for the weekend.

Fabi Tumiwa, director of the Institute for Essential Services Reform, said if PLN failed to secure a coal supply, Java and Bali would suffer a power deficit of 600 to 1,000 megawatts, as the coal stocks of the other power supply providers such as the Cilacap and Paiton power plants were also depleting.

"For this weekend, the lower peak loads will help us, so there will be no blackouts until Sunday," Ari said, while warning of a critical condition for Java and Bali starting Monday.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman said the country immediately needed to begin work on a nuclear power plant, to end its dependency on diesel and coal, as demanded by a 2007 law on government planning.

He said of 16 locations surveyed by the ministry's office, six were found to ideal for a nuclear plant, all of them along the coast of Java Island.

"Of the six, the Muria Peninsula has the highest stability rate for the operation of a nuclear power plant. Nevertheless, we see some opposition from residents there," he said.

Kusmayanto said investors were already interested in the nuclear plant project.

In response, PLN commissioner Al Hilal Hamdi said more research and liability studies were needed before beginning work on a nuclear plant, to ensure public safety.

"Seismic activity is something that needs to be accounted for within the study .... Maybe it is better to put (the plant) far from human habitations, far from Java. Batam island could be an ideal place," he said

Earlier, the National Nuclear Power Agency said the blueprint for a plant in Muria with a 7,000 megawatt took into account the possibility of seismic activity.

Batan says nuclear plant safe

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan) assures the safety of its nuclear development projects and waste management, saying it implements nuclear quality assurance measures and the International Atomic Energy Agency's infrastructure standards.

"We have been developing a research center for nuclear energy in Serpong since 1984. The research center building meets international safety standards," Batan chairman, Hudi Hastowo, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

"We have also implemented nuclear quality assurance measures to increase safety."

Hudi spoke on the sidelines of a ceremony to install Erwansyah Lubis and Zainus Salimin as research professors at the agency.

The controversial plan to build a nuclear power plant in Muria, Central Java, in 2015 has raised protests from the surrounding community, environmental organizations and activists.

There are concerns over the possibility of accidents causing damage to the environment or harm to human beings.

The nuclear plant opponents are also quick to point out that Indonesia still possesses undeveloped alternative sources of energy.

Hudi said people's attitudes had been influenced by the horrible effects of nuclear incidents like the Chernobyl reactor leakage or the Hiroshima and Nagasaki nuclear bombs.

"People tend to be suspicious and prejudice about nuclear development because of previous incidents," he said.

"Acknowledging the risks and uncertainty involved in the development of nuclear power and educating the public will help people become more accepting.

"Actually, nuclear energy can also give positive benefits with minimum risks."

He added it was important to educate people about nuclear waste management and the risks of nuclear development.

Hudi said nuclear waste should be disposed of in amounts the environment could accommodate.

"It will take a long time with greater costs to handle this nuclear waste if it exceeds tolerable limits, as the environment will loose its ability to adapt." he said.

Meanwhile, Erwansyah said precise planning, good infrastructure and qualified human resources were needed to increase capacity and confidence building in studies on radioactive waste disposal.

Zainus, an expert in radioactive waste treatment, said the public should also be educated about nuclear power plant waste management systems so they would understand and not worry about radioactive threats. (rff)

Gorontalo may build nuclear power plant in 2008

Gorontalo, Gorontalo (ANTARA News) - Gorontalo will likely become Indonesia`s first province to have a nuclear power plant (PLTN) after it reached agreement with the Russian power company Raoues to set up a nuclear power plant in the province, an Indonesian official has said.

"It appeared that Gorontalo is quite serious in realizing it its plan to have a nuclear power plant. The plan will hopefully encourage other provinces to follow suit," Nuclear Energy Monitoring Agency (Bapeten) chairman Sukarman Aminojoyo said here Sunday.

"Another province that is ready to have a nuclear power plant is East Kalimantan, but Gorontalo has moved ahead of the province in making preparations for a nuclear power plant," he said.

Sukarman expressed hope that the 70 MW floating nuclear power plant in Gorontalo which will be built starting in 2008, would contribute to efforts at overcoming the prolonged power supply shortages in the province.

He also said that as of April 2007 Bapeten had already issued 12,243 permits to use nuclear technology, to 4,169 to industries, 4,814 to medical establishments, 3,222 to radiation protection personnel, and 38 to educational and university research programs.

Since 1979, Indonesia built nuclear reactors respectively in Yogyakarta, Bandung and Serpong.

Nuclear plant received coldly

Suherdjoko, The Jakarta Post, Salatiga

The government's plan to build a nuclear power plant was put under the microscope again as experts said the plan was criminal, would put thousands at risk and did not make any sense.

Philosophy lecturer Franz Magnis-Suseno SJ said the plan was criminal because it could cause a disaster of huge proportions.

"Why does such a risky power plant have to be built in Indonesia?" Franz said during a seminar focused on analyzing critically nuclear power plant construction in Indonesia.

"If it's being built on the north of Mount Muria in Jepara (Central Java), how will residents suffer when there's a nuclear disaster like Chernobyl?

"If this kind of disaster takes place in Muria, the nuclear radiation might reach Semarang.

"So I doubt residents can be persuaded by the government to take the risks," he said from the Salatiga-based seminar in Central Java.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year announced plans to start building a nuclear power plant in 2010 to become operational by 2016.

The power plant would be the first of its kind to provide energy to the Indonesian public and industrial sectors.

It is expected to meet four percent of the total power demand in Java, Madura and Bali -- an energy demand expected to reach 175 terawatt hours (TWh) by 2015.

Nuclear energy was essential for the country's development given Indonesia would need an additional 1,500 to 2,000 megawatts (MW) annually after 2016, the government said.

However, Franz said he feared widespread corruption practices for most projects, including the government's.

He said lowering the quality of building materials was just one way the project would suffer corruption.

Franz asked the seminar to consider the busway road construction project as an example and said many roads in this project were already damaged because of corruption and poor building materials, just six months after operations had commenced.

"So nuclear power plant construction should not start until Indonesia successfully fights corruption," Franz said.

Coordinator of Working Group on Power Sector Restructuring Fabby Tumiwa said during his seminar presentation the government had conducted no social study on the plan and had not sought approval from the public.

"The big risk of a nuclear power plant is that it will get a lot of attention," he said.

Fabby referred to a document from the International Atomic Energy Agency and reminded the audience that, "nuclear energy poses special risks to the health safety of persons and to the environment: risks that must be carefully managed".