Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA News) - The geographical location of Maluku province at the meeting of the Pacific, Australian and Euroasian continental plates is highly unsuitable for a nuclear power plant (PLTN).

"Maluku is a quake-prone area as the result of earth plate friction, which makes it highly unsuitable for building a PLTN because of the strong impact of a nuclear reactor," Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu said here Sunday.

Japan has felt that the 8-strong quake had caused an explosion to its PLTN, may serve as a good lesson to the government and people.

He said the power need in this area is still very limited considering the existence of islands, but this problem could be overcome in stages by using plants using other kinds of energy.

"We are currently building a steam power plant (PLTU) in Waai villAge, sub-district of Salahutu (on Ambon island) to overcome the power supply problem in the area," he said.

Indonesia`s coal potential is quite promising, and the price is relatively lower, not to mention other natural resources which could be used as turbine to produce electric power like geothermal power, the sun, wind and water.

"In 2010 some of our other areas had been shocked by tectonic quakes for more than 600 times and this condition is very risky to building a PLTN," he said.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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