WEST KALIMANTAN MULLS NUCLEAR POWER TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY

From Nashir Mansor

PONTIANAK (West Kalimantan), Jan 28 (Bernama) -- West Kalimantan has ample
uranium reserves which can be enriched to produce electricity, Deputy Governor
Drs Christiandy Sanjaya says.

He said this possibility was prompted by the electricity crisis faced not
only by West Kalimantan but all four provinces in the Indonesian portion of
Borneo.

"West Kalimantan has 12 districts with Malawai and Sintang being identified
having uranium reserves to generate nuclear power.

"The Indonesian government agency responsible for nuclear has conducted
studies there," he told Malaysian journalists who are on a 10-day visit
sponsored by Berjaya Foundation here.

The deputy governor said the people still had doubts about the use of
nuclear as an energy source after untoward incidents were reported in several
countries but a lot of efforts had been done to ensure its safety.

He said developed countries like Japan had been using nuclear energy as a
source of electricity and the time had come for Indonesia, particularly West
Kalimantan, to think about it.

Besides, the use of nuclear energy in electricity generation was cheaper
compared with other methods and since Kalimantan was situated outside earthquake
zones, it would be suitable, he said.

He said it would not be impossible one day for Kalimantan with its
accessible energy source to help supply power even to Sabah and Sarawak in view
of the low generation cost.

-- BERNAMA