This afternoon I received a Tweet from a friend telling me that Metro TV has reported about a loud explosion at the Technology Research Center (Puspitek) in Serpong, Banten, around 30 kilometers away from Jakarta.
A few hours later, TV stations reported that the Police has announced that the explosion came from a bomb placed outside the Puspitek.
I was very worried to hear about this news because Puspitek is the location of the Siwabesy Multipurpose Nuclear Research Reactor, which according to the website of the National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAN) was built in 1992 on an area of 25 Hectares, with a power capacity of 30 Megawatts.
Although this nuclear reactor is very small compared to the 5 troubled nuclear reactors in Furishima, Japan, which according to Wikipedia have power capacity between 460 MW and 1,100 MW, but still it has the potential to spread radiation if not operated, maintained and secured properly.
Considering the above, I hope that the government, Batan, law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies would make sure that the the nuclear reactor would be operated, maintained and strictly guarded based on the standards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Showing posts with label Nuclear. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nuclear. Show all posts
Friday, March 25, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Indonesia is a Potential Geothermal Superpower
During the Asia Pacific Summit for the Climate Project in Jakarta last January, Nobel Prize Laurette and former US Vice President Al Gore said that Indonesia has the potential to become the world's Geothermal Energy Superpower.
Al Gore has reason to say that because according to U.P.I Indonesia claims about 40 percent of the world's geothermal reserves
.
Last March Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry revised the country's geothermal potential to 28,100 megawatts, up from 27,000 megawatts a decade ago.
The ministry's geological agency said that with 30 years of operation, Indonesia's revised geothermal potential is equal to 12 billion barrels of oil. That compares with the country's current oil reserves of 6.4 billion barrels.
Under Indonesia's national energy policy, the government aims to obtain 95,000 megawatts of power from geothermal sources by 2025. Less than 1,200 megawatts of geothermal energy has been explored.
I hope that the government would immediately carry out its plan to develop Geothermal power as a source for electricity, so that we do not have to build a nuclear reactor in the near future.
Al Gore has reason to say that because according to U.P.I Indonesia claims about 40 percent of the world's geothermal reserves
.
Last March Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry revised the country's geothermal potential to 28,100 megawatts, up from 27,000 megawatts a decade ago.
The ministry's geological agency said that with 30 years of operation, Indonesia's revised geothermal potential is equal to 12 billion barrels of oil. That compares with the country's current oil reserves of 6.4 billion barrels.
Under Indonesia's national energy policy, the government aims to obtain 95,000 megawatts of power from geothermal sources by 2025. Less than 1,200 megawatts of geothermal energy has been explored.
I hope that the government would immediately carry out its plan to develop Geothermal power as a source for electricity, so that we do not have to build a nuclear reactor in the near future.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Nuclear Reactors in Indonesia
Today I received some text messages from friends warning about the spread of radioactive materials from the Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan damaged by the recent earthquake and tsunami, that may be blown by the wind to other countries like the Philippines and Indonesia.
I was not fooled by this messages because I have been following the news about this matter since yesterday, therefore I understand that the main part of the Fukushima nuclear reactor is still safe.
But I can understand why people are very worried, because they still remember about the blast of the nuclear reactor in Chernobyl, Russia in 1986, in which tens of thousands of people were by radioactive materials leaked from the reactor.
Fear of such nuclear tragedy has cause pro and contra on the government's plan to build large nuclear power reactors in this country.
Actually, nuclear reactor is not something new for Indonesia, as a matter of fact according to Wikipedia Indonesia has built and operated Nuclear Research Reactors for many decades.
Today, the National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAN) operates three nuclear research reactors at the following locations :
1) Serpong, Banten : 30 MW Multi-Purpose Reactor (1987)
2) Bandung, West Java : Triga Mark II (250 Kw in 1965, 2 MW in 1997)
3) Yogyakarta : Triga Mark II (100 Kw in 1979)
Indonesia is viable to build a nuclear reactor in every provinces due to there are ample stocks of materials and appropriate geological support. Various locations have been proposed for building nuclear reactors that will actually be taken into production for the purpose of generating electricity:
1) Muria, Central Java
2) Gorontalo, in the North of Sulawesi
3) Bangka Belitung province
4) Kalimantan.
As a legal basis for the development of nuclear power reactors, Indonesia has promulgated the Nuclear Power Law in 1997, which stipulated that Indonesia shall have a lot much bigger nuclear power reactor in 2019 that will provide much more electric power (at least 200 MW) for the country.
Considering that Indonesia will need lots of electric power for development of the country, and the source of electricity, i.e. coal, gas, petroleum, geothermal, is limited, I think we should keep an open mind on the possibility of building a nuclear power reactors that can provide much bigger electricity.
But in this case we must make sure that reactor would be located in a place that would not be affected by earthquake and/or other natural disasters, operated and maintained by people who are highly skilled and disciplined.
I was not fooled by this messages because I have been following the news about this matter since yesterday, therefore I understand that the main part of the Fukushima nuclear reactor is still safe.
But I can understand why people are very worried, because they still remember about the blast of the nuclear reactor in Chernobyl, Russia in 1986, in which tens of thousands of people were by radioactive materials leaked from the reactor.
Fear of such nuclear tragedy has cause pro and contra on the government's plan to build large nuclear power reactors in this country.
Actually, nuclear reactor is not something new for Indonesia, as a matter of fact according to Wikipedia Indonesia has built and operated Nuclear Research Reactors for many decades.
Today, the National Atomic Energy Agency (BATAN) operates three nuclear research reactors at the following locations :
1) Serpong, Banten : 30 MW Multi-Purpose Reactor (1987)
2) Bandung, West Java : Triga Mark II (250 Kw in 1965, 2 MW in 1997)
3) Yogyakarta : Triga Mark II (100 Kw in 1979)
Indonesia is viable to build a nuclear reactor in every provinces due to there are ample stocks of materials and appropriate geological support. Various locations have been proposed for building nuclear reactors that will actually be taken into production for the purpose of generating electricity:
1) Muria, Central Java
2) Gorontalo, in the North of Sulawesi
3) Bangka Belitung province
4) Kalimantan.
As a legal basis for the development of nuclear power reactors, Indonesia has promulgated the Nuclear Power Law in 1997, which stipulated that Indonesia shall have a lot much bigger nuclear power reactor in 2019 that will provide much more electric power (at least 200 MW) for the country.
Considering that Indonesia will need lots of electric power for development of the country, and the source of electricity, i.e. coal, gas, petroleum, geothermal, is limited, I think we should keep an open mind on the possibility of building a nuclear power reactors that can provide much bigger electricity.
But in this case we must make sure that reactor would be located in a place that would not be affected by earthquake and/or other natural disasters, operated and maintained by people who are highly skilled and disciplined.
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