January 28, 2010

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.

(Source: Bernama)