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Solo, Central Java (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government is planning to build four nuclear power plants (PLTNs) until 2025 to meet domestic demand for electricity, Research and Technology Minister Kusmayanto Kadiman said here Wednesday.

"If one PLTN has a capacity to produce 1,200 MW, we will be needing four nuclear power plants by 2025 to meet domemstic need for electricty," the minster said during a visit to Sebelas Maret University (UNS) here.

A number of locations where the nuclear power plants could be set up had already been surveyed, including places in the northern parts of Java Island and in the southern parts of Kalimantan island, he said.

"Construction of nuclear power plants is already provided for in a law and included in the National Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPN) 2004-2025," he said.

Construction of the Muria PLTN in Jepara, Central Java, was expected to be finalised in 2016 and therefore work on the project had to begin in 2008, Kusmayanto said.

About the existence of popular resistance to the government plans to build nuclear power plants, the minister said people were free to express their opinion on the matter but the government`s plans could only be stopped if the law providing for the development of nuclear power was changed.

Meanwhile, the government would cotinue to prepare the technology, funding and human resources needed to build and operate neclear power plants, he said.

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