TANGERANG. The National Nuclear Energy Agency (Batan) has been designing an experimental nuclear plant with a capacity of 10 megawatt (MW) at the Center for Science and Technology Research (Puspiptek) in Setu district, South Tangerang, Banten.

Batan deputy chairman Taswanda Taryo told the press on Wednesday that the visit of Batam’s experts to Nukem Technology in Germany in the middle of this month had helped with the progress of the plant, especially with respect to designing the power plant.

In April, Indonesia and Russia had reached an agreement to develop a design for an experimental nuclear plant to be constructed at the research center near Serpong. The project will be implemented by RENUKO Consortium, a joint venture between Indonesia and Russia, Antara news agency reported.

The construction of the plant is scheduled to start in 2017. A Batan official, who knows about the project, said the energy from the project would be used to meet the needs of the research center and its surrounding areas.

Currently, Puspiptek is a host for smaller nuclear reactors, which are only used for experimental purposes. When Puspiptek was established in 1976, the area was remote with only a few residents. But now, the research center was surrounded by a number of housing complexes.

Not many local people are aware of the government’s plan to develop the 10 MW nuclear power plant in their area.

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie