Nuclear energy is neither safe nor economical—K Ashok Rao
Vinod Kumar Gupta, 23-Apr-2011 03:47:08 AM

Saturday April 23, 2011

New Delhi

Nuclear energy is neither safe nor economical for the country” said K Ashok Rao President National confederation of Officers Associations of Central Public Sector Undertakings

Indian Government has planned to increase the nuclear generation from present 3.8 Gigawatts to 655 Gigawatts of nuclear power by 2050. This generation is based largely on high cost imported reactors and not on the nationally accepted three stages nuclear development programme to develop self-reliance based on Indian PHWRs and thorium.

Rao said that Government must tell people that what is being done to assure the people that the nuclear plants are safe. In India, everything related to Atomic Energy, including power generation is a secret covered by the Official Secrets Act and AERB reports to the AEC. That is the regulator is regulated.

Why does the Government not share with the people the details of accidents that took place in Narora, Kaiga and other nuclear power plants that are currently under operation?

Rao further said that .even in very developed and technologically advanced countries like USA, Soviet Union and Japan there have been disastrous failures and the consequences were very serious and is impossible to recall them. Another problem is that uranium fuel even after it is used fully it remains dangerous and emits radiation. Therefore the spent fuel has to be stored safely for thousands of years. And any mistake in this storage can also be as dangerous as a mistake in the reactor.

In Japan today, everybody living within 20 Kms of Fukushima (1256 Sq Kms) has been asked to compulsorily leave their homes and go to relief camps. Those within 30 kms(2827 Sq kms) have been asked to voluntarily leave , United States has asked its citizens to stay atleast 80 kms away

If there is a disaster in Tarapur, Mumbai will have to be evacuated; if in Rawatbhata then Kota and if in Kalpakam then Chennai. Such is the extreme risk.

How can the Government assure that the nuclear reactor proposed to be installed in Jaitapur or in Haryana are safe when it is not operating anywhere in the world? How and where are the engineers and employees going to be trained?

Before Fukushima, more than 300 nuclear reactors were planned or proposed worldwide, the vast majority of them in fast-growing developing economies. While parts of the developed world might now freeze or even reduce their reliance on nuclear, emerging markets such as China, India, the West Asia and Eastern Europe will continue their nuclear drive.

As customers rethink the balance between safety and price, will safety now win out? Just over a year ago, price was still a potent factor. How can there be affordable energy for the people with plants that cost Rs. 22 Crore per MW? The present installation cost of a thermal plant is Rs. 4 crore per megawatt.

The proposed 6x1650 nuclear power station at Jaitapur is proposed to be procured without any process of tender or competetive bidding . This will inflate capital cost and lead to costlier power.

Instead of giving answers, Prime Minister is doing all he can to assure the Americans and the Europeans that India will not go back on the import deals struck in secrecy; the sarkari scientists are twisting science to justify their salaries .

. And finally, we are marching to Jaitpur, because what is at stake for the politicians and business is money and for us what is at stake is our life and that of our children and grandchildren.