The Minister of Research, Technology and Higher Learning Education, Mohamad Nasir, said Indonesia must immediately build a nuclear power plant to meet the electricity needs of 60,000 megawatt by 2025.
“A nuclear power plant must be given serious consideration,” he argued as reported by Antaranews.
He pointed out that the trend has shifted from oil and coal to new and renewable energy sources, including nuclear. He cited the example of France, saying it has been producing and using nuclear power, and also exports it. Germany, although it has decided to stop nuclear power development, still uses energy produced by Frances nuclear power plants.
In the Middle East, he added, the United Arab Emirates is building four nuclear power plants which will be completed at a rate of one plant each year between 2017 and 2020.
Nasir, who spoke to the UAEs Minister of Energy during the Asia-Africa Conferences annual summit in Bandung last year, explained that the country, which is the third biggest producer of oil, would shift from oil to nuclear.
“Nuclear is our future, as oil is for our children and grandchildren,” Nasir quoted the UAE minister as saying when asked why his country would opt for a nuclear power plant.
Saudi Arabia, which has suffered a budget deficit after a plunge in the oil price, has declared it will use nuclear power to replace oil by 2020.
In Asia, he observed, Malaysia has also committed to develop a nuclear reactor. “Our neighbor has seen that if in 2018-2019, Indonesia does not build a nuclear power plant, it will do so in Serawak,” he stated.
He posited that if security and safety are cited as reasons for Indonesia not building a nuclear power plant, Malaysia will do it near Indonesia.
“The question is if a disaster happened, who would be affected first? It will be us (Indonesia),” he underscored.
Nasir advocated that nuclear power plant development is very safe and controlled while energy from the plant could reduce cost as it is very cheap.