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espite previous protests and controversy, the Indonesian government has recently renewed plans to build Indonesia's first nuclear power plant in Muria Peninsula, Central Java.

State Research and Technology Minister Suharna Surapranata, who has been serving in the new Cabinet for less than two months, said here Thursday that blueprints for the plant were in progress.

"The plan to build the nuclear power plant must go on," Suharna said as quoted by Antara, on the sidelines of a meeting with the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten).

Among aspects still under consideration, Suharna said, included who would operate the plant once established - whether it would be the government or a private firm.

As for the location, the government seems to have stuck to the previous plan of building the plant in the Muria Peninsula in Jepara, Central Java.

As part of the process, the government is currently training and educating staff at Bapeten and the National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan), who are expected to run the power plant once it opens in 2016, Suharna said.

The construction of the plant is scheduled to begin next year.

Suharna, who is a former Batan researcher, said he regretted the continuous delays to the project, considering electricity shortages and demand increases of at least 7 percent per year.

Electricity shortages have recently led to rolling blackouts in a number of cities across Indonesia. Among them, Greater Jakarta has been worst hit, following a fire at a substation in Cawang in September.

State electricity firm PT PLN, has been the sole provider of electricity in Indonesia, and has faced public criticism for the shortages.

In a bid to address the problem, the government has launched the first 10,000 MW program, with all the proposed power plants to be coal-fired.

The plan to build the nuclear plant, however, remains controversial. Rejections have come not only from people living around Muria Peninsula, but also from others.

Concerns have been raised over Indonesia's ability to operate a nuclear power station; the site's vulnerability to earthquakes; and possible leakage.

Russia's Chernobyl disaster in particular has been a continuous reminder in opposition to the plan.

Bapeten head As Natio Lasman, however, said Batan had gained experience in running its nuclear research reactor, which had won praise from international nuclear experts.

The reactor has also passed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s safety inspections, he said.