BATAN receives proposals for nuclear power plants

By Donald Haromunthe

The National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN) said it has received proposals from investors to initiate feasibility study on the development of nuclear power plants in four regions of Indonesia.

Head of BATAN Djarot S. Wisnusubroto told Petromindo.com on Thursday that the regions include West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, East Belitung, and Batam.

?Some investors has requested us to initiate feasibility study in those areas and we have confirmed our availability to help them?, he said, but added that BATAN could not immediately fulfill the requests, suggesting them instead to talk to the central government first via the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

According to Presidential Decree No 5 Year 2006, Indonesia should have four nuclear-power plants built by 2025. Their total capacity will be at least 4,000 MW of electricity, about 1.96 percent of projected electricity demand in 2025 at 200,000 MW.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak