MEMR prepares plan to develop nuclear power plant

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is drafting a white book for the development of a nuclear power plant with capacity of 5,000 MW to help meet the country?s growing power demand in the future.

The Directorate General of New and Renewable Energy at the ministry said in a statement last week that the planned nuclear power plant is necessary not only to help meet growing power demand, but also to help meet the government?s target for renewable energy to account for 23 percent of the energy mix in the country by 2025.

The directorate, however, acknowledged that one the main challenges is the lingering opposition from the public regarding security and safety aspects.

The directorate added that there must a strong political support and massive public campaign to realize the nuclear power plant project.

It also said that nuclear technology is quite reliable, that the domestic industry has experiences and the capacity to realize the plan.

The directorate pointed out that PT Siemens Indonesia, as an example, has experience in manufacturing and supply of condenser for the Olkiluoto unit nuclear power plant in Finland with capacity of 1,600 MWe. The entire fabrication was held in Cilegon, Banten.

The national industry also has experience in the export of inner casing turbine component for the Susquehanna (US) and Forsmark (Sweden) nuclear power plants.

The industry also has the capacity in producing steam turbine-generator system with capacity of 18 MWe and has been engaged in the development of the G.A Siwabessy multipurpose research nuclear reactor in Serpong, Banten Province.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak