Deputy Minister for Science and Technology Network, Ministry of Research, Science and Technology, Prof. Dr. M. Syamsa Ardisasmita, D.E.A, asserted that the government up until now has not planned to build a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in the near future. But the socialization of nuclear power plant development plan is still conducted.
According to Syamsa, research on nuclear reactor construction has been started since 1964, moreover up to this time, our regulation, nuclear reactors and human resource capacity are considered most prepared compared with those of other Asean countries. "We're ready for everything, but we are now facing hurdles in the implementation," said Syamsa when met on the sidelines of the introduction of nuclear science and technology workshop in the KPTU Plaza of the Faculty of Engineering, Wednesday (9/11).
Although infrastructures and human resources are considered as the most prepared, said Syamsa, the government has not dared to take risks to build nuclear power plants in the near future. Meanwhile, Vietnam planned to build nuclear power plants starting in 2014 with a capacity of 2,000 MW and began operations in 2020 while Malaysia will be ready to operate nuclear power plants in 2021. "Indonesia is not yet clear on this issue," he said.
Syamsa argued, all countries including Indonesia in the future will greatly depend on the nuclear energy given the energy supply of coal, gas and oil will be increasingly depleted. In addition, the utilization of nuclear energy does not require great expense and is considered the cheapest compared with other energy sources. He mentioned nuclear energy production costs only 3 cents of Dollar per kWh, while coal 6 cents, geothermal-9.2 cents and gas nearly three times the cost of geothermal. "Without nuclear energy, I think it is ambitious. Because if only from geothermal, micro-hydro and solar cells energy, we will have difficulty getting sufficient supplies of electrical energy," he added.
He added that the number of human resources who are experts in the field of nuclear energy in Indonesia reaches 4000 people. According to Syamsa, the number is very accommodating for the construction of nuclear power plants. He estimated that the construction of a nuclear power plant requires about 800 nuclear power expert. "Malaysia has 300's, so they also offer to employ workers from Indonesia if they are ready to build nuclear power plants," he said.
In the meantime, Head of Nuclear Energy Development Center, National Nuclear Energy Agency (BATAN), Sarwiyana Sastratenaya, said the need for Indonesia of energy increases along with population growth and economic development of society. To anticipate this, the government expects 2% nuclear contribution of primary energy up to the year 2025. “In accordance with the plan, the Government will build two first nuclear power plant units that will be operating before 2020. This is in line with the statement in Act No. 17 Year 2007 on RPJN 2005-2025," he concluded.