Jakarta – A survey jointly conducted by the National Nuclear Agency (Batan) and the University of Indonesia's School of Social and Political Sciences found that 57.6 percent of respondents could accept the deployment of nuclear power plants.

The survey discovered public opposition to a nuclear power plant was not as tough as expected as only 24.6 percent of the respondents were against the program, while 17.8 percent abstained, Antara reported.

Even in Jepara regency in Central Java, where the first nuclear power plant will be built, the approval rate of nuclear energy reached 55.30 percent.

Conducted in May and June on 3,000 respondents in 22 regions in seven provinces across Java and Bali, the polling showed that most government officials, legislative council members, community figures, NGO activists and housewives supported the government's plan to go nuclear.

Those who resist the plan expressed their fear about safety, learning from fatal accidents that have occurred in nuclear countries.

Batan chief Hudi Hastowo suggested Tuesday that the government take the survey seriously and no longer delay its plan to build a nuclear power plant.