Survey says most people accept nuclear power plant

A survey jointly conducted by the National Nuclear Agency (Batan) and University of Indonesia’s School of Social and Political Sciences found that 57.6 percent of respondents could accept nuclear power plant.

The survey discovered public opposition to the nuclear power plant was not that tough as expected as only 24.6 percent of the respondents were against the program, while 17.8 percent abstained, Antara news agency reported.

Even in Jepara regency in Central Java, where the first nuclear power plant will be built, approval rate of the nuclear energy reached 55.30 percent.

Conducted in May and June on 3,000 respondents in 22 regions in seven provinces across Java and Bali, the polling showed that most government officials, legislative council members, community figures, non-governmental organization activists and housewives supported the government’s plan to go nuclear. They said nuclear technology could help solve power deficit the country has long been facing.

Those who resist the plan expressed their fear about safety, learning from fatal accidents happened in nuclear countries.
 
Batan chief Hudi Hastowo suggested on Tuesday that the government take the survey seriously and no longer delay its plan to build a nuclear power plant.