Recent Status of Public Response to RDE Development & Utilization

Abstract

Preliminary study on social aspect of Experimental Power Reactor (RDE) development and utilization has been conducted, focusing on the qualitative aspects of public response and developing social issues related to the planning of RDE development at South Tangerang region. The study involves assessment on focused-group discussions results, public inputs given via distributed questionnaires and interviews with relevant stakeholders at focus areas. The study is aimed to identify specific issues and opinions growing in the public prior to the launching of Government plan in building RDE at Puspiptek Complex and to identify important stakeholder groups which need to engaged during the continuation of RDE program, as part of sustainable social engineering program to increase public acceptance on RDE project and nuclear energy. Desk study, interviews and qualitative analysis were utilized as methodology of this study. The study reveals several important issues growing among the public, they are, public fear on environmental impact if accident occurs, public stigma on radiation danger, low understanding on environmental monitoring activities which leads to less confidence on environmental protection and economic benefits provided by the new reactor occurrence. The study also reveals three major importnt stakeholder groups which need to be engaged during the social engineering program implementation, they are general public living at 3 regions around Puspiptek Complex, workers at Puspiptek Complex and academic community. These results will be beneficial to the development of social engineering program and implementation of public engagement for RDE project.