Indonesia to go nuclear?

Press, 16 April 1986, Page 20

Indonesia to go nuclear?

By

LEIGH MACKAY,

of A.A.P., in Jakarta

Indonesia is completing a nuclear research reactor and could build its first nuclear power plant in 12 years, according to the Indonesian Research and Technology Minister, Dr Bacharuddin Habibie. The Minister, who will visit Australia this week, said if tenders for a nuclear plant opened in 1988, contracts could be signed two years later and a 1000 to 13,000 megawatt plant could open by 1998 at a cost of some SUSI.B billion (5NZ3.25 billion). For more than a decade Indonesia has been considering nuclear power to meet the huge demand for electricity expected by the century’s end. It insists it does not intend building nuclear weapons or producing weaponsgrade material. Some economic planners advocate relying on coal for electricity and postponing nuclear power. They are doubtful about future development funds because of the slide in the price of oil, Indonesia’s major source of domestic and foreign revenue.

However, the oil price drop was temporary, and nuclear power would become economically viable and necessary to supply the nation’s rapidly growing population and industrial development, Dr Habibie a

Indonesia-United States' nuclear energy seminar here recently. Indonesia’s population of almost 165 million is expected to reach 220 million by the year 2000. Some observers viewed Dr Habibie’s speech as a disguised call for a quick Government commitment to nuclear power generation. A decision must await the current feasibility study by the national atomic energy agency, Batan, and studies of the country’s energy resources such as coal and geo-thermal reserves, said sources at Batan. Dr Habibie largely masterminded Indonesia’s aircraft, maritime, and defence production in spite of scepticism among Cabinet colleagues about the cost and usefulness. He is now pushing for nuclear power as safe, clean, and relatively cheap. A proposal for a nuclear plant was suspended in 1981 until the completion of a 30 megawatt reactor for medical and industrial research. The West German, Canadian, and Italian contractors expect it to open late next year at Serpong in West Java. Dr Habibie estimated that Indonesia would need more than 16,000 megawatt generating capacity by the year 2000, of which more than 11,000 yiega-

watts would be needed in Java, Indonesia’s most heavily populated island. A plant in central Java could meet about 20 per cent of the island’s needs. The other proposed site was Batam island, near' Singapore, 'where a' large plant could supply Singapore and Malaysia, he said. West Germany, the United States, France, Canada, and Italy are courting Indonesia, hoping to win nuclear power contracts, and have exhibited their technology here since 1980. A special assistant to President Reagan on policy development, Michael Driggs, told the seminar that the United States was committed to helping developing countries like Indonesia embark on peaceful nuclear programmes. Indonesia’s Mines and Energy Minister, Dr Subroto appeared to back Dr Habibie. To suggestions, that cheaper oil was a more viable energy source, he said it was “prudent not to use temporarily cheap fossil fuels as a convenient excuse not to use nuclear energy.” Almost 80 per cent of Indonesia’s electricity is generated by oil-fired plants and plans to switch to coal have been delayed by cost and quality control problems.