Nuclear Energy in Indonesia - Reactor Locations

Reactor Locations

For research purposes, the following experimental nuclear reactors have already been built in Indonesia:

1. Kartini nuclear research reactor in Yogyakarta, Central Java
2. MPR RSG-GA Siwabessy nuclear research reactor in Serpong, Banten
3. Triga Mark III nuclear research reactor in Bandung, West Java

According to an observer, Indonesia is capable of building a nuclear reactor in every province due to ample materials and geological support. As a tin-mining area, monazite exists throughout Bangka and Belitung island. Nearly 183 tons of monazite sediment was found in Mount Muntai, sufficient for nuclear power plants which will be built in West and South Bangka.

BATAN continues searching for uranium sources and suitable sites for nuclear power plants. Bangka Belitung is geologically stable and near the country's greatest electricity-consuming regions: Java and Sumatra. Local residents are more receptive to hosting a nuclear power plant, compared with other locations. Although local residents were opposed, BATAN was still considering the previously-studied locations of Mount Muria, Jepara, Central Java and Serang, Banten.

In July 2011, the Bangka Belitung governor requested the government to continue its plans for nuclear power plants in the Muntok and Permis areas between 2025 and 2030. The two plants will produce two gigawatts of electricity at a cost of Rp 70 trillion ($8.2 billion), producing 40 percent of electricity needs in Sumatra, Java and Bali.

Several locations have been proposed for nuclear reactors to generate electricity:

1. Cape Muria, Kudus (Central Java)
2. Gorontalo, in northernSulawesi
3. Bangka Belitung province (two plants with a total capacity of 18 GW)
4. Kalimantan

Concerning Fukushima's nuclear reactor blast, an Indonesian geodesics lecturer stated that while most of Japan was earthquake-prone, Indonesia has many quake-free areas in Kalimantan, Bangka-Belitung, northern Java (a populous area) and Irian.