Ready For Nuclear Power Plant But Have No Place To Put It

"Landep News"

Indonesian Minister of Research and Technology Suharna Surapranata said that Indonesia is ready to build its Nuclear power plant.

Three are already Nuclear facilities in the country such as research reactors in Serpong (30 MWt.), Bandung (2 MWt), and Yogyakarta (100 kWt) with four other nuclear facilities for LEU Fuel Element fabrication, Experimental Fuel Element, Radiometalurgy and Interim Storage for spent fuel. The Nuclear power plant the minister was referring to is a full blown commercial power plant for public consumption which Indonesia do not yet have but desperately need.

The same thing is also mentioned by Anhar Riza Antariksawan, Deputy of Basic and Applied Research at the Indonesian Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN). He says there two types of acknowledgment from the IAEA, one is for pre project and the other one is for project level. Since Indonesia has not decided a definitive site for the power plant yet, it is acknowledged as being ready for pre project level.

Nuclear legislation in Indonesia was initiated by Law No.31 Year 1964 on Nuclear Energy. Under the act the Government established BATAN, which was responsible for promotional and development as well as for regulatory activity.

In 1997 this Law was replaced by Law No.10 Year 1997, under article 3 and 4 of this Law the Indonesian Government established the separation for executing and regulatory body, which are both directly report to the president. This Regulatory body controls any activity using nuclear energy by establishing regulations, conduct licensing processes and inspections. In 1998 by the Presidential degree No. 76 year 1998 the Nuclear Energy Control Boards or BAPETEN is established.

Indonesia signed non-proliferation of nuclear weapon NPT in 1970 and ratified in 1978. On 14 July 1980 also Indonesia signed Safeguards Agreement.

Additional Protocol to Safeguards agreement was signed and ratified on 29 September 1999. Indonesia participated in developing Strengthened Safeguards regimes by offered itself for trial of a number of new concepts before signing the protocol. Since 1995, Indonesia has reported its thorium import every year, which is known as the Voluntary Reporting Scheme. Indonesia also offered itself for trial of environmental sampling test, which are taken during special visit by IAEA inspector and during a routine inspection, up to the initial declaration submission of the additional protocol.

Indonesia plans to operate 4000 MWe NPP by 2025 located somewhere in Muria Peninsula, Java island. The Electricity projection for Java and Bali system done by the state electricity company shows electricity generated from Nuclear by 2017. It is expected that by 2025 Nuclear will account for around 2% of total electricity produced, compare to 33% of Coal and 20% of Diesel. That is a projection after a somewhat optimist calculation of 17% renewables.

A survey conducted by BATAN with 3000 respondents across the Java Bali system shows that more than half or 57.6 % respondents agree with Nuclear Power Plant.

Meanwhile Widjajono Partowidagdo, Professor of the Mining and Petroleum Faculty Engineering at Bandung Institute of Technology say, if the current energy is used wisely, Indonesia’s will not need Nuclear even after 2025.

The requirement of Nuclear power plant as a source of electricity between Indonesia and other countries are different. Other countries have limited energy resources, while Indonesia has a variety of sources. However, there is currently no sufficient exploration to study this properly as there is lots of water, gas, and geothermal outside of Java that will cost a lot less than petroleum.

Murtaqi Syamsuddin, Director of Business and Risk Management at PLN says that for cost per kWh basis, Nuclear is still the cheapest at USD 4.9 cent per kWh compare to other sources. However, a Nuclear power plant development requires a long lead time and construction as well as high capital.

Indonesian readiness assessment by IAEA includes criteria’s such as resources, economic ability and location. Regarding location, there are several considerations about natural disaster, earthquake and floods. This will probably take some time and more study considering the state Indonesia is in at the moment.

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