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Indonesia edges closer toward uranium mining and nuclear power

Friday, September 03, 2010 by Dorothy Kosich
Indonesia edges closer toward uranium mining and nuclear power

An official of Indonesia's National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) say the country has a uranium reserve of at least 53,000 tons which could serve as the foundation for building nuclear power plants in the country.

Official state news agency Antara News reported that uranium supplies in the West Kalimantan alone could provide power for a single 1,000 MW nuclear power plant for up to 145 years.

Dr. Djarot S. Wisnubroto, deputy for development of cycle technology of nuclear substance and engineering at the National Nuclear Energy Agency, estimated 29,000 tons of uranium is located in the Province of West Kalimantan and 24,000 tons in Bangka Belitung Province.

He suggested that Papua Island may also have a "very large uranium reserve. But it still needs some research. "

However, Djarot said Indonesia may not be mining its own uranium in the near future "because under the existing conditions, the price of uranium is quite low. "

"It would be more efficient for us to buy it from other countries," he advised. "The uranium reserve could be used for the future."

Djarot noted that Indonesia has already been processing radioactive waste material from industries and hospitals and the Research Nuclear Reactor in Serpong. The waste from the reactor in Serpong is returned to its country of origin.

He suggested that the permanent disposal of nuclear waste in Indonesia needs to be earthquake-free with waste trapping locations so it would not escape into the environment or seep into clay.

Batan said a University of Indonesia survey conducted during May and June of this year found that 58% of the 3,000 people polled support the construction of a nuclear power plant in the country.  The highest level of support for nuclear power came from NGOs at 76%, members of Parliament at 74% and government officials, 70.5%.

Three sites are now being considered for the nation's first nuclear plant: Muria in central Java, Banten in west Java, and Bangka Island located off southern Sumatra.

Batan chief Hudi Hastowo said the government should take the survey seriously and no longer delay its plan to construct Indonesia's first nuclear power plant.

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