Kovvada Nuclear Power Park- Why & What Cost?

 

Kovvada Nuclear Power Park (NPP)

 

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), is a Public Sector Enterprise, under Administrative Control of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), which is under direct charge of Prime Minister. The NPCIL proposes to set up coast based AP Nuclear Power Park (NPP) with a total capacity of 6x1000 MWe / 6x1600 MWe of Light Water Reactors (LWRs) of US Origin at Kovvada of Ranasthalam Mandal in Srikakulam District 

 

The NPP is expected to be implemented in three stages of 2x1000/1600 MWe each with a gap of about 3 years, along with Residential Township as part of this project.  It is proposed to acquire approximately 700 ha of land for the NPP and 75 ha for the Township.. The water requirement for NPP is proposed to be met from Sea Water and the Fresh Water requirement for the Township will be met through desalination plant.  The construction of a jetty for movement of heavy equipment through sea route is also proposed as part of this project. 

 

NPP –Exclusive Zone

 

The area up to 1.5 KM around the NPP will be acquired and fenced and treated
as  Exclusive Zone and will be under total control of NPCIL. No member of public will be allowed to enter this zone with out permission.

 

As per the information available, there are 5 villages/habitations with 862 households, having the population of about 3,500 in the proposed Exclusive Zone of NPP. The entire population of 3 habitations falling in this zone is dependent on fishing for their livelihood while around 90 people in one habitation are dependent on agriculture/ agriculture labour for their livelihood.

The private land in the zone is to the extent of 560 acres. The livelihood of the fishermen to be evicted from the zone remains a serious problem. It is important that Exclusive Zone does not overlap CRZ Area.

NPP- Sterilized Zone:

Up to 5.0KM around the NPP is a restricted area, called Sterilized Zone. No new activity is permitted in this area.  Existing activities, people, structures continue to remain.

There are 42 villages/habitations with about 6700 households, having total population of about 30,000 in the proposed Sterilized Zone (1.5 to 5.0 km) of Kovvada NPP. The entire population of the villages / habitations in this zone is dependent on agriculture / agriculture labour for their livelihood, except for about 2,400 people in 4 habitations depending on fishing for their livelihood The private land in this zone is to the extent of 11,600 acres, predominantly with intensive agricultural activities.

These 6,700 households in sterilized zone with 30,000 population,, in the close vicinity of the proposed NPP, will be the worse affected, as they are likely to be exposed to radioactive gases routinely released by the Reactors, and  their agricultural produce is likely  to be contaminated by radiation and no new activity is permitted in  this zone. 

NPP- Emergency Planning Zone:

 Up to 16.0 KM around the NPP is called Emergency Planning zone, where usually Township, Environment Monitoring Lab (EML) Schools, Hospitals are located. There are 66 villages/habitations with about 10,300 households, having total population of about 41,400 in this Zone (5.0 to 16.0 km) of NPP. The entire population of the villages in this zone is dependent on agriculture / agriculture labour for their livelihood, except for about   3,000 people in 5 habitations depending on fishing for their livelihood

 The private land in the zone is to the extent of 14,600 acres predominantly with intensive agricultural activities. The major chunk of the land in this zone may be required for the Township, Environmental Monitoring Laboratory ( EML) and other supporting infrastructure facilities, displacing many of the habitants and adversely affecting the agricultural operations and the green cover in this zone.

NPP- Impact Assessment Zone

 Up to 30.0 Km around the NPP is  called Impact Assessment Zone normally monitored by EML  A number of major industries manufacturing Bulk Drugs are located within this zone of 30 km from the proposed Kowada NPP. The extent of these Zones may have to be revised upwards, taking into account the impact of recent Nuclear Meltdown of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, in Japan..

 Hazardous & Toxic Substances to Health & Environment

Apart from hazardous radioactive gases/substances routinely released by the Nuclear Reactors into Air & Water sources resulting in contamination of Land and Water in the area, the risks of possible accidents during operation and likely terrorist attacks on Nuclear Reactors and their likely impact in the surrounding area and habitation are of serious & grave concern

 Each 1000 MW NPP is estimated to generate 1500 Tons of extremely potent Radio Active Waste in its operational life of 50 years, On decommissioning after 50 years of operation, it contains an amount of long-lived radiation equivalent to that released by the explosion of 1,000 Hiroshima size bombs, which inevitably entails the release of radioactive materials. The Nuclear Industry is yet to find how safely transport and store this deadly material for periods of time –almost beyond our comprehension – 2, 40,000 years.

 Why & At What Cost?

 

 With all this massive capacity additions, the contribution  of Nuclear Power by 2031-32 is expected to be 60,000 MW, which will hardly be 7.5% of total expected capacity of 8,00,000 MW by then. With huge potential of energy saving -more than 10%-, by cost effective conservation measures, why opt  for Nuclear Power, which doesn't seem to add up Economically, Environmentally or Socially and is neither the answer to modern energy problems nor a panacea for Climate Change challenges ?

Should not the people of Kovvada have a right even to be told, about the imminent dangers of the proposed Nuclear Power Park in their vicinity, if their lives and that of their future generations are to be sacrificed for the sake of Nuclear Power Park?  The current generation would be making decisions that impact people far into the future. What right do we have to commit future generations?

 

 Evil vs. Devil  

 

 Nuclear Power is not just the EVIL and it is the DEVIL. The Evil of our own making can be overcome. The Devil cannot be overcome, not even if we ourselves conjure him into being. This is why; staking our future on Nuclear Power is a Pact with the Devil, impacting the generations far into the future.

Electricity is but the fleeting byproduct of Nuclear Power. The actual product is forever deadly Radio Active Waste.!

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