JAKARTA, 13 March 2008 - The Indonesian government plans to build four nuclear power plants by 2025 to meet electricity demand, an official said Wednesday. "If one nuclear power plant can produce 1,200 megawatts of electricity, we need four plants by 2025 to meet our demand," State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman was quoted by the national Antara news agency as saying.

"We have surveyed a number of sites for the nuclear plants including in northern Java and southern Kalimantan," he said during a visit to a state university in the Central Java town of Surakarta. Kusmayanto said nuclear power plants had to be realized because the plan was included in the 2004-2025 development planning.

The government plans to build the first nuclear power plant on the slope of Mt. Muria in Jepara, Central Java. The plant is expected to be operational in 2016 despite strong opposition from local residents and environment activists. "We have to start the construction this year. Otherwise, we will be behind schedule," Kusmayanto said.

Indonesia currently has three nuclear reactors for scientific purposes dispersed on Java island; one in Serpong, one in Bandung and one in Yoyakarta.

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