Nuclear Power Plant:

Are We Ready?

An Exposure to the Center for Science And Technology Accelerator (PSTA) BATAN

Series of Training on Renewable Energy)

A desire to know more about nuclear encouraged the activists of Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta to visit PSTA BATAN – National Nuclear Energy Agency, Babarsari, Yogyakarta (14/7/2016). The visit of the group is the series of exposures of renewable energy training held on June 17 – 19, 2016. But, why is nuclear? Nuclear is not included in renewable energy. This question is quite right for those who did not join the training, because they did not know about it. In the beginning of the training, participants expected to know more about new energy sources, namely nuclear, without minimizing other potency as renewable energy in Indonesia.

First experience

The visit to a nuclear reactor is the first experience to all participants including the Executive Director of Stube-HEMAT. As safety standard, there is strict procedure to enter nuclear reactor, starting from the entrance where visitors’ identity and luggage were checked. However, the host of PSTA BATAN welcomed the group warmly, from the entrance gate until in the seminar room the officers explained the activities at PSTA BATAN. The group was received by the head of PSTA BATAN Yogyakarta, DR. Susilo Widodo and former National Deputy of BATAN, DR. Ferhat Aziz. It was really a precious chance to hear ‘public lecture’ and to have dialogue directly with the two ‘decision maker’ of the institution.

It’s astonishing

The planning to construct nuclear power plant in Jepara, Central Java triggered the pro and con among society. Generally people only hear the bad effects of nuclear, without receiving enough explanation from the competent sides in this field. Nuclear is not always bad. According to the explanation of DR Susilo, an expert in radiation security standard, nuclear is such a technology which is useful for society, for example, x-rays in medical. Nuclear radiation can shorten the period of some varieties of rice seed to yield their harvest quickly. Radiation can preserve canned food as food aid sent to disaster survivors such as in Bangladesh and other places. Simply, nuclear radiation is safe because the understanding is just like a fisherman laid fishes under the radiation of the sun to preserve salted fish.

The nuclear reactor in Yogyakarta is not qualified as power plant because the power is only 100 Kw. However, the reactor is still under supervision of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency). Dr. Ferhat Aziz explained that nuclear is very beneficial to all mankind. A nuclear power plant consumes low budget to produce electricity. One capsule of uranium (nuclear material) weighing only 7 grams can produce electricity by the equivalent of 3.5 barrels of oil or 2 tons of coal.

The tragedy of Chernobyl and Fukushima was overcame with an advanced technology, called Generation 3+, which mean that all equipment used is very sophisticated and has a system to minimize the risk of explosions and radiation. 3G+ nuclear power plant is designed to withstand earthquakes, tsunamis, explosions, and it has automatic shut down system when a human error or failure is not resolved. Dr. Ferhat added, we should not have to worry about a large nuclear explosion, because the potency of a large nuclear explosion will occur only if the uranium enrichment gains level  20% until 80%. In average, a nuclear power plant is only reaching 20% uranium enrichment.

Observing the Reactor

Observing a reactor called ‘Kartini’, behind the seminar room made all of us amazed. The security standard procedures were so tight as we were not allowed to take pictures inside the reactor chamber and we should wear lab coat and fabric footwear. The reactor is used just for a research and will be operated by order. A reactor is like a water reservoir using a principle of heating water through the chain fusion reaction of uranium and water vapor which drives turbines to produce electricity.

Dr. Ferhat explained that actually the Indonesia nuclear experts are ready to run a nuclear power plant because they have ability and competence, even Indonesia is one of the countries exporting nuclear power plant components to Europe, including Finland.

It is a valuable lesson to understand that nuclear is not always destructive. Let young people learn to prepare, start from the simple renewable energy. Further, state with a high electrification ratio indicates a developed countries. Are you ready to take part in our national development? (SRB).