M'SIA READY FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY, SAYS AELB

KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is ready to operate its own
nuclear power plant as it has enough qualified manpower, Malaysian Atomic Energy
Licensing Board (AELB) chairman Prof Emeritus Dr Noramly said Thursday.

Prof Noramly, who is also with the Science and Technology Faculty,
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), said the university had already produced
about 900 graduates in nuclear science.

"This includes masters and PhD holders, 95 per cent of whom are in the
country and have the expertise and experience to run a nuclear power plant," he
told the UKM News Portal after a two-day workshop on nuclear energy which ended
on Tuesday.

He said the start-up time needed for the operation of the plant was between
10 and 15 years, following the government's decision to have its first nuclear
power plant in 2021.

Thirty-three nuclear experts from 14 countries attended the workshop jointly
hosted by UKM and the University of Tokyo.

Malaysia is following in the footsteps of Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh
which will be operating their first nuclear power plant by 2020.

Prof Noramly said that although Bangladesh was comparatively less
industrialised than Malaysia, it nevertheless planned to have its nuclear power
plant built by 2020.

"They can tap into the knowledge of thousands of experts and staff trained
in nuclear science that are now working in advanced countries," he said.

He said even though the cost of building a nuclear power plant could run up
to RM20 billion (US$6.1 billion), its lifespan could go on for about 60 years,
benefiting up to three generations.

On safety, Prof Noramly said that it was an important consideration and
would not be ignored.

"People talk about safety, but remember there have only been two accidents
involving nuclear power plants, both due to human error and the lack of safety
devices.

"Today's second and third generation nuclear power plants are safer and we
will build our plants using these new safety measures and sophisticated
technology," he said.

The news portal also quoted Tomohiko Kita, general manager of the Department
of International Affairs of the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum Incorporation as
saying that Japan understood such fears, having used nuclear energy for some 50
years.

"No doubt we were the victims of the misuse of nuclear weapons, but that was
during the war.

"Today we teach our children while in school on the good use of nuclear
power. I live in Hiroshima and we teach children from young about nuclear energy
and power. You can learn from our experiences in educating the people to accept
nuclear power," he said.
-- BERNAMA


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