Nuclear power in Indonesia
Encyclopedia
The nuclear program of Indonesia includes plans to build nuclear reactors in the country to produce nuclear power for peaceful purposes. The national legislative organ for nuclear energy, Badan Pengawas Tenaga Nuklir
(BAPETEN
), was founded in 1998. The name of the national agency of atomic energy is BATAN
.
Decades earlier, research on atomic energy was started in Indonesia. Apart for producing electricity, nuclear technology is also applied for medical purposes and agricultural purposes, for the use of genetic manipulation.
Plans for an atomic program were mostly shelved in 1997 due to the discovery of the Natuna gas field, but have been revived since 2005.
Indonesia has stated that the program will be developed in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA). For this reason, Mohammed ElBaradei was invited to visit the country in December 2006.
Protests against plans for nuclear power occurred in June 2007 near Central Java as well as an upsurge in mid 2007.
Although there are nuclear crisis in Japan, Indonesia is unlikely to halt its plan of building its first nuclear power plant due to electricity crisis. Indonesian Nuclear Energy Regulation Agency (BAPETEN
) has confirmed that seven nuclear supervisors were on IAEA missions in several countries, including one in Tokyo
, Japan
, so Indonesia are ready to operate nuclear power plants as soon as those facilities are built.
One of the nuclear energy development head at Indonesia's National Nuclear Energy Agency, said that concerns about a disaster like that of Japan's were misplaced because any plants in Indonesia would use more advance technology than the four-decade-old reactors as at Fukushima plant in Japan
.
According to an observer, Indonesia is viable to build a nuclear reactor in every province due to there being ample stocks of materials and appropriate geological support.
As a tin mining area, monazite
exists everywhere at Bangka and Belitung island. The 182.9 tons of monazite sediment was found in Mount Muntai and it is sufficient for a nuclear power plant which will be built in West Bangka and South Bangka.
In 2011, the National Atomic Power Agency (BATAN) would continue to search for suitable sites for nuclear power plant and uranium sources. Bangka Belitung is the site with geological stable and near with the country's biggest electricity consuming regions: Java
and Sumatra
, moreover the locals are more receptive to hosting a nuclear power plant compared to others locations. Although locals were opposed, BATAN was still considering the previously studied locations of Mount Muria, Jepara, Central Java and Serang, Banten.
In July 2011, Bangka Belitung Governor insisted government to continue nuclear power plants in the Muntok
and Permis
areas which will be established between 2025 to 2030. The two plants will produce 2-gigawatt electricity with cost Rp.70 trillion ($8,2 billion) serve 40 percent of electricity needs in Sumatra, Java and Bali.
Various locations have been proposed for building nuclear reactors that will actually be taken into production for the purpose of generating electricity:
Concerning Fukushima's nuclear reactor blast an Indonesian's geodesics lecturer said that most of Japan was quake prone, whether vast Indonesia has many quake-free areas in Kalimantan, Bangka-Belitung, northern parts of Java island (should be considered as populous area) and Irian.
or Borneo
. If these uranium resources appear to be insufficient, the country has the option of importing uranium from friendly nations.
, Russia
, Australia
and the United States
. Australia
has indicated that it does not have problems with supplying Indonesia with uranium for peaceful purposes. A much-publicized agreement with a Russian company to build a floating nuclear reactor in Gorontalo turned out to be a Russian dream -- Indonesia has since made it clear that it wants an NPP with far higher megawattage and will construct a land-based plant.
and other groups and individuals. In June 2007, nearly 4,000 protesters rallied in Indonesia's Central Java, calling on the Government to abandon plans to build a nuclear power plant on the outskirts of their city. Specific concerns included the dangers posed by nuclear waste, and the location of the country on the Pacific Ring of Fire
, with much geological activity such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, which could make it dangerous to have nuclear reactors there.
) has carried out a series of researches since the 1980s.
Badan Pengawas Tenaga Nuklir
The Badan Pengawas Tenaga Nuklir, called BAPETEN is Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency of Indonesia. BAPETEN is a non-Department Government Institution which is under and responsible to the President...
(BAPETEN
Badan Pengawas Tenaga Nuklir
The Badan Pengawas Tenaga Nuklir, called BAPETEN is Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency of Indonesia. BAPETEN is a non-Department Government Institution which is under and responsible to the President...
), was founded in 1998. The name of the national agency of atomic energy is BATAN
Batan
Batan may refer to the following places:* Batan, Aklan, a municipality in the Philippines* Batan Island, the main island of the province of Batanes, the Philippines* Batan Island, Albay, in Rapu-rapu, Albay, the Philippines...
.
Decades earlier, research on atomic energy was started in Indonesia. Apart for producing electricity, nuclear technology is also applied for medical purposes and agricultural purposes, for the use of genetic manipulation.
Plans for an atomic program were mostly shelved in 1997 due to the discovery of the Natuna gas field, but have been revived since 2005.
History
Based on Presidential Decree Number 5 Year 2006, Indonesia should have built 4 nuclear power plants by 2025. The total combine capacity of them at least 4,000 MW of electricity which about 1.96 percent of the projected electricity demand in 2025 which predicted 200,000 to 350,000 MW.Indonesia has stated that the program will be developed in accordance with the International Atomic Energy Agency
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957...
(IAEA). For this reason, Mohammed ElBaradei was invited to visit the country in December 2006.
Protests against plans for nuclear power occurred in June 2007 near Central Java as well as an upsurge in mid 2007.
Urge of nuclear power plant
A physics lecturer from Airlangga University said that need for electricity is continuing to go up and fossil fuel reserves are to be depleted soon. Indonesia is quite ready and able to develop nuclear power plant. The nuclear experts are ready and prepared and they have been successfully conducted some nuclear research since 1970s. Vietnam already had nuclear power plant, while Malaysia and Philippines are the next to have. So, Indonesia should initial it soon.Although there are nuclear crisis in Japan, Indonesia is unlikely to halt its plan of building its first nuclear power plant due to electricity crisis. Indonesian Nuclear Energy Regulation Agency (BAPETEN
Badan Pengawas Tenaga Nuklir
The Badan Pengawas Tenaga Nuklir, called BAPETEN is Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency of Indonesia. BAPETEN is a non-Department Government Institution which is under and responsible to the President...
) has confirmed that seven nuclear supervisors were on IAEA missions in several countries, including one in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, so Indonesia are ready to operate nuclear power plants as soon as those facilities are built.
One of the nuclear energy development head at Indonesia's National Nuclear Energy Agency, said that concerns about a disaster like that of Japan's were misplaced because any plants in Indonesia would use more advance technology than the four-decade-old reactors as at Fukushima plant in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Locations of nuclear reactors
For research purposes, experimental nuclear reactors have already been built in Indonesia:- Yogyakarta, Central JavaCentral JavaCentral Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
. This is the Kartini nuclear research reactor. - Serpong (BantenBantenBanten is a province of Indonesia in Java. Formerly part of the Province of West Java, it was made a separate province in 2000.The administrative center is Serang. Preliminary results from the 2010 census counted some 10.6 million people.-Geography:...
).This is the MPR RSG-GA Siwabessy research reactor. - BandungBandungBandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, West JavaWest JavaWest Java , with a population of over 43 million, is the most populous and most densely populated province of Indonesia. Located on the island of Java, it is slightly smaller in area than densely populated Taiwan, but with nearly double the population...
. This is the Triga Mark II nuclear research reactor.
According to an observer, Indonesia is viable to build a nuclear reactor in every province due to there being ample stocks of materials and appropriate geological support.
As a tin mining area, monazite
Monazite
Monazite is a reddish-brown phosphate mineral containing rare earth metals. It occurs usually in small isolated crystals. There are actually at least four different kinds of monazite, depending on relative elemental composition of the mineral:...
exists everywhere at Bangka and Belitung island. The 182.9 tons of monazite sediment was found in Mount Muntai and it is sufficient for a nuclear power plant which will be built in West Bangka and South Bangka.
In 2011, the National Atomic Power Agency (BATAN) would continue to search for suitable sites for nuclear power plant and uranium sources. Bangka Belitung is the site with geological stable and near with the country's biggest electricity consuming regions: Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, moreover the locals are more receptive to hosting a nuclear power plant compared to others locations. Although locals were opposed, BATAN was still considering the previously studied locations of Mount Muria, Jepara, Central Java and Serang, Banten.
In July 2011, Bangka Belitung Governor insisted government to continue nuclear power plants in the Muntok
Muntok
Muntok or, more commonly, Mentok is a town in the Indonesian province of Bangka-Belitung, Indonesia. Muntok is the capital of the West Bangka Regency...
and Permis
PERMIS
PERMIS is a sophisticated policy-based authorisation system that implements an enhanced version of the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology standard Role-Based Access Control model...
areas which will be established between 2025 to 2030. The two plants will produce 2-gigawatt electricity with cost Rp.70 trillion ($8,2 billion) serve 40 percent of electricity needs in Sumatra, Java and Bali.
Various locations have been proposed for building nuclear reactors that will actually be taken into production for the purpose of generating electricity:
- Cape Muria, Central JavaCentral JavaCentral Java is a province of Indonesia. The administrative capital is Semarang. It is one of six provinces on the island of Java.This province is the province of high Human Development in Indonesia and its Points Development Index countries is equivalent to Lebanon. The province of Central Java...
. - GorontaloGorontalo (province)Gorontalo is a province of Indonesia on the northern part of Sulawesi. The province was established in December 2000 after being split from North Sulawesi province...
, in the north of SulawesiSulawesiSulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
. - Bangka Belitung province. Two plants with cumulative capacity of 18GW.
- KalimantanKalimantanIn English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
.
Concerning Fukushima's nuclear reactor blast an Indonesian's geodesics lecturer said that most of Japan was quake prone, whether vast Indonesia has many quake-free areas in Kalimantan, Bangka-Belitung, northern parts of Java island (should be considered as populous area) and Irian.
Natural resources
Indonesia has at least two uranium mines, the Remaja-Hitam and Rirang-Tanah Merah mines. These are located in the west of KalimantanKalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
or Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. If these uranium resources appear to be insufficient, the country has the option of importing uranium from friendly nations.
Cooperation with other countries
In 2006 Indonesia signed treaties for nuclear cooperation with various countries, including South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
has indicated that it does not have problems with supplying Indonesia with uranium for peaceful purposes. A much-publicized agreement with a Russian company to build a floating nuclear reactor in Gorontalo turned out to be a Russian dream -- Indonesia has since made it clear that it wants an NPP with far higher megawattage and will construct a land-based plant.
Motivation
Indonesia has various reasons for wanting to build nuclear reactors:- Domestic energy consumptionDomestic Energy ConsumptionDomestic energy consumption is the amount of energy that is spent on the different appliances used within housing. The amount of energy used per household varies widely depending on the standard of living of the country, climate, and the age and type of residence...
in Indonesia is growing rapidly. - Nuclear energy will reduce dependence on petroleumPetroleumPetroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, a non-renewable resourceNon-renewable resourcesA non-renewable resource is a natural resource which cannot be produced, grown, generated, or used on a scale which can sustain its consumption rate, once depleted there is no more available for future needs. Also considered non-renewable are resources that are consumed much faster than nature...
. Indonesia, a former OPECOPECOPEC is an intergovernmental organization of twelve developing countries made up of Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. OPEC has maintained its headquarters in Vienna since 1965, and hosts regular meetings...
member and long-time net oil exporter, became a net importer of oil at the beginning of 2005 and withdrew from OPEC membership in 2008. Nuclear energy, like coalCoalCoal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, natural gasNatural gasNatural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, and biofuelBiofuelBiofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...
(from plants such as Jatropha curcasJatropha curcasJatropha curcas is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, that is native to the American tropics, most likely Mexico and Central America. It is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions around the world, becoming naturalized in some areas...
or the castor oil plantCastor oil plantThe castor oil plant, Ricinus communis, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae. It belongs to a monotypic genus, Ricinus, and subtribe, Ricininae. The evolution of castor and its relation to other species are currently being studied.Its seed is the castor bean which,...
) may allow Indonesia to diversify from petroleum. - If domestic energy consumption can be provided through nuclear energy, it may be possible to export more oil.
- Producing other renewable energy from other sources, such as wind powerWind powerWind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, windmills for mechanical power, windpumps for water pumping or drainage, or sails to propel ships....
and solar powerSolar powerSolar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies. Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available...
, is far more expensive. - JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
—like Indonesia, where earthquakes frequently occur—has nuclear reactors. - The emission of harmful gases can be reduced.
Criticism
The nuclear plans of Indonesia have met with criticism from GreenpeaceGreenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
and other groups and individuals. In June 2007, nearly 4,000 protesters rallied in Indonesia's Central Java, calling on the Government to abandon plans to build a nuclear power plant on the outskirts of their city. Specific concerns included the dangers posed by nuclear waste, and the location of the country on the Pacific Ring of Fire
Pacific Ring of Fire
The Pacific Ring of Fire is an area where large numbers of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the basin of the Pacific Ocean. In a horseshoe shape, it is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and/or plate movements...
, with much geological activity such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, which could make it dangerous to have nuclear reactors there.
IAEA's appraisal
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) considers Indonesia ready to develop nuclear energy. The statement was issued last November 2009. The IAEA's appraisal covered four readiness aspects, namely human resources, stakeholders, industry and regulations. The Indonesian Nuclear Board (BATANBatan
Batan may refer to the following places:* Batan, Aklan, a municipality in the Philippines* Batan Island, the main island of the province of Batanes, the Philippines* Batan Island, Albay, in Rapu-rapu, Albay, the Philippines...
) has carried out a series of researches since the 1980s.
Sources
- Nuclear Power Development in Indonesia by Soedyartomo Soentono, National Atomic Energy Agency, Indonesia.
- Indonesian Policy on the Development and Utilization of Nuclear Energy by M. Hatta Rajasa, State Minister for Research and Technology, Republic of Indonesia.
- Paper from 2003 that includes organograms of BAPETEN an BATAN