Do we need nuclear energy?

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Mon, 08/13/2007 1:08 PM | Opinion

I wrote to comment on Ferhat Aziz's article Is nuclear energy safe enough for Indonesia? in The Jakarta Post, Aug. 6.

He said ""Nuclear power plants were most attractive where energy demand growth was rapid, energy supply security was a priority, and alternative resources were scarce.""

Are alternative energy resources really scarce in this country?

Indonesia is home to 129 active volcanoes and hundreds of mountains and hills lying from the northern tip of Sumatra up to West Nusa Tenggara, and from northern Sulawesi to the south of the island and Halmahera to the east, with the country sitting on theof Fire"".

Between the volcanoes and mountains, there are plenty of large and small lakes and waterfalls. In the lower lands there are also plenty of hot spring waters, which are signs of geothermal existence. Besides, the country also lies on the equator, meaning the sun shines all year round.

The government, however, is set to begin construction of the first nuclear plant in Mt. Muria, Central Java, next year, and the country's largest energy company, PT Medco Energy International Group, in cooperation with the South Korea-based power company KHNP are ready to allocate US$3 billion in investment to take part in the project, according to the Post on July 31.

Was energy supply security really the main reason in deciding on the project, which is expected to supply only 2 percent of the country's power demands in 2016, or are alternative energy resources really scarce here? There must have been other reasons behind the approval of the nuclear plant project.

If safety was a priority, aren't the active volcanoes, five of which are predicted to erupt every year, considered a threat to the safety of the plant?

What is about hydroelectric power, geothermal, coal and solar energy, whose potential is abundant in this country?

Really, in order to attract more investment, the country is badly in need of infrastructure that includes energy aside from roads, sea and airports and so on.

Developing projects in the energy sector with a greater level of safety such as hydroelectric power, geothermal, coal and solar energy would create more job opportunities, which needs the government's consideration.

M. RUSDI
Jakarta

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