Greenpeace urges ASEAN to scrap plans for civilian nuclear power

SINGAPORE (AFP) - Environmental group Greenpeace urged Southeast Asian energy ministers meeting here Thursday to scrap plans to harness civilian nuclear power for the region, citing safety concerns and weapons proliferation risks.

The call came as ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) began their annual meeting hosted by new ASEAN chair Singapore, with nuclear safety concerns expected to feature highly on the agenda.

At least three ASEAN member states, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, have announced plans to build nuclear power plants in a bid to cut dependence on crude oil and natural gas, but raising concerns over safeguards.

"One of the solutions (to energy needs) that they (ASEAN ministers) are proposing... is to build nuclear power plants," said Nur Hidayati, a climate and energy campaigner for Greepeace Southeast Asia.

"We say this is a very dangerous pathway if it is followed," she told a news briefing. "We say this is not a solution because it creates more problems and it will last a long time."

The ministers expect to discuss ways to secure vital energy supplies which are needed to fuel the region's economic growth.

"Reliable, affordable supplies are essential for Asia's continued growth and ASEAN is no exception," Singapore Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security S. Jayakumar said in a keynote address.

"As one of the world's fastest growing region, ASEAN will require increasing energy supplies to fuel our rapid pace of economic expansion."

While exploring ways to secure energy supplies, ASEAN should not also overlook alternative sources such as new-generation biofuels and civilian nuclear power, said Jayakumar who is also the minister for law.

As more countries plan to harness nuclear power for their energy needs, Jayakumar noted that ASEAN is now beginning to discuss nuclear safety issues among member states.

But Greepeace activists said the region does not have the expertise and the trained personnel to operate nuclear power plants, and warned of the dangers that plutonium -- which is a nuclear waste -- could get into the wrong hands.

Plutonium is a key ingredient for the making of a nuclear bomb.

During their annual meeting in Manila last month, ASEAN foreign ministers discussed how they can strengthen rules to ensure that civilian atomic energy is not used for non-peaceful ends.

Greepeace said ASEAN states also lacked the experience in storing and disposing radioactive wastes.

With the region prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, it was unclear if ASEAN members have the capability to deal with a leaking nuclear power plant, it said.

Jayakumar, meanwile, said in his speech the 10-member bloc will also sign a memorandum of understanding on an ASEAN Power Grid that "provides the essential framework" for the region to implement the project.

The ASEAN Power Grid is an ambitious plan to connect member countries to ensure continued power supply whereby countries with surplus reserves can sell to a neighbouring country.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.