News Room - Business/Economics

Posted on 27 Aug 2008

ASEAN OKs, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam to build nuclear power plants

All ten ASEAN member countries have no objections to Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam developing nuclear power plants, ASEAN Technical Working Group on the Establishment of Nuclear Power Plants (TWGENPP ASEA) Ad Hoc committee chairman Prof Carunia Firdausy said here on Wednesday.

He made the statement on the sidelines of a TWGENPP ASEAM forum which was attended by eight ASEAN representatives aside from Cambodia and Myanmar.

Firdausy said the nuclear power plant (PLTN) development for Indonesia was part of an effort to reduce the country`s dependence on oil and coal which was having a negative impact on the environment and global warming.

The research and technology minister`s deputy for public dynamic affairs added that Indonesia would develop only four percent of nuclear energy from the national energy mix in 2025, while 96 percent of it would rely on coal, oil, gas, water energy, geothermal, biofuel and others.

Meanwhile, National Nuclear Energy Board (Batan) deputy chief Adi Wardoyo said ASEAN at the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) even supported nuclear technology development in the region to anticipate the fossil energy scarcity.

"Indonesia`s philosophy in developing nuclear energy is merely for peaceful purpose with security and safety on top of its priorities," he said.