(April 25, 1997) Is Indonesia revising its former plans to have a nuclear power plant operational in 2003 and may push it back to 2020 or 2030?
(471.4671) WISE Amsterdam -On a 11 March energy conference Minister for Research and Technology Habibie said: "Maybe we need a nuclear power plant by 2020 or 2030. Now we have an excess supply of electricity. Our energy needs have to be revised again. This is the result of the finding of enormous gas reserves in Natuna, Irian Jaya and Kalimantan". The Natuna Islands, 1200 km north of Jakarta in the South Chinese Sea, is home to one of the largest gas fields in the world. Irian Jaya and Kalimantan are among the most resource rich areas in Asia.
However, Mohammad Anung from the Indonesian Anti-Nuclear Society remained sceptical about any formal change in governmental nuclear policy. A newly endorsed controversial nuclear energy bill does not speak about nuclear energy as the last power supply alternative. "I'm afraid the statement (of Habibie) was just a government move to appease nuclear protestors", Anung said.
The former plans called for a US$7 billion investment with total capacity of 7,200 MW to be built with foreign help at Mount Muria in central Java. The foreign help included Atomic Energy of Canada, Westinghouse Electric from the US and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries from Japan. A nuclear analyst said the project was too expensive and came under fire from environmentalists. The Japanese nuclear industry is targeting the Asian countries because it becomes more and more difficult to build new nuclear reactors in Japan.
Of course Japanese anti-nuclear organisations oppose the export of nuclear power to Indonesia too. More than 140,000 people signed a protest, which was submitted to the President of the Parliament. The government was asked not to give public funds and permission to the export of nuclear power plants.
Sources:
- Japanese NGO's statement 1 March 1997,
- E-mail from apakabar@clark.net
- Reuter, 12 & 13 March 1997
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