Indonesia has potential to build over 30 nuclear reactors

Antara 22 Nov 10;

Pangkalpinang, Bangka Belitung (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has the capability to build more than 30 nuclear reactors given its geological conditions and adequate material supplies, an expert said.

"Every province in Indonesia has potential to develop a nuclear reactor because there are ample material stocks and appropriate geological support," Dr Wawan Purwanto, an expert staff of the National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), said here Monday
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Currently, Indonesia has tree nuclear reactors, respectively in Serpong (Tangerang, Banten), Yogyakarta (central Java), and Bandung (West Java) with a total capacity of around 90 MW.

"One reactor has a power capacity of 30 MW for agriculture and health, while regular nuclear needs 10,000 MW for one reactor," he said.

According to him, Korea, which is only a third of Java Island, has 20 nuclear reactors, and China has 30 reactors.

"Indonesia has only three small-scale reactors, while each province has potential to develop a nuclear reactor," he said.

Nuclear power energy is cheap, has less pollution and efficient because it just needs an area measuring 25 hectares, according to Dr Wawan Purwanto.

"Babel (Bangka Belitung) has been named a nuclear energy spot in Bangka Barat District. This province will be progressing faster if it has a nuclear energy plant," he said.

Those who rejected nuclear energy plants were people who did not know about the nuclear energy, he said.

"Advanced countries have developed energy nuclear because it is crucial and less expensive compared to other types of energy," he said.