Because this reactor is for education, then the construction of mini reactor in Serpong must continue ..."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Minister of Research and Technology and Higher Education M Nasir hopes the construction of Experimental Reactor Power (RDE) plant conducted by the National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) in Serpong, Banten Province will be completed on schedule.
The Ministry is obliged to create nuclear for humanities, and which is efficient and safe," the minister said here Wednesday.
Nasir said the pros and cons of the development of nuclear power plants will always appear in Indonesia. However, Batan has a lot of experiences of managing nuclear reactor since 1960s.
Such reactors in Yogyakarta, Serpong, and Bandung (West Java) are located in towns and do not pose a problem because it is managed properly, he said.
"Because this reactor is for education, then the construction of mini reactor in Serpong must continue, and it takes at least seven years to build it. It will be good of it it can be developed for commercial, but education should come first," Nasir said.
Energy demand in the future will increase, and nuclear energy is cheaper than other energy resources.
"Malaysia will build nuclear power plant in the northern part of Kalimantan. Even the United Arab Emirates, which is rich of oil, targets four reactors, each has a capacity of 1,400 megawatts, and will be completed by 2020," the minister said.
Earlier, member of National Energy Board (DEN) Rinaldi Dalima asked Batan to review the experimental nuclear power plant construction which cost about Rp1.6 trillion.
The 10-megawatt power plant is able to generate electricity, hydrogen, and to liquefy coal, It is the first of its kind and cannot be found in other countries.
According to him, it takes a long research or testing by making the small-scale experimental power plant prior to develop nuclear energy.
Head of Batan Djarot Sulistio Wisnubroto said the experimental power plant will be built within five years.
The Law No. 17 of 2007 on the National Long Term Development Plan 2005-2025 mentions Indonesia should already have nuclear power plants by 2019.
(Uu.KR-LWA/B003/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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