NPCIL says Don't Confuse People on Nuclear Power

The News Item was published in "The Hindu" 13 th September, NPCIL urging the Environmentalists and Civil Society groups not to air their views without studying the safety measures in the 18 existing Nuclear Projects and stating that advanced technology will be used in Kovvada Nuclear Power Park(NPP).

 

 The following observations are made. on NPCIL misleading statement :

 

 Former AERB Chairman Dr.A.Gopalakrishnan was reported to have raised alarm over government's Nuclear Power programme based on imported Reactors, saying  it would turn India's entire coastline into a disaster zone in waiting. ----He also said the Reactors being imported were new types, which foreigners had no experience of.---He tore through the government's plan to import LWRs( Light Water Reactors)."  

 

 Note: 6 LWRS with capacity of 1000/1600 MWe each, are expected to be imported from USA for Kovvada NPP 

 

Can NPCIL educate Environmentalists and Civil Society regarding the Intensity of Radio Activity, its Duration & Extent of Area likely to be affected in the unlikely event of an accident in the proposed Kovvada Nuclear Power Park and the consequent human and environmental tragedy and  the proposed Risk/Disaster  Management Plans ?

 

Can NPCIL explain the need for Nuclear Power in India, with high energy intensive economy and having the saving potential of 10 to 20 % in various sectors by cost effective energy conservation measures, while the proposed expensive, high-risk and hazardous Nuclear Power of 60,000 MWe capacity  by 1931-32, which will be hardly 7.5% of 8,00,000 MW capacity planned by then ?

 

Can NPCIL explain how it is planned to transport, store and dispose hazardous Nuclear Waste generated by Kovvada NPP?

 

It is estimated that each regular 1,000 MWe Nuclear Power Reactor generates 30 Tons of extremely potent radioactive waste annually, during 30 to 50 years of its operation, by way of spent nuclear fuel rods and they have a half-life of nearly 30,000 years. In addition, there is the Nuclear Waste coming out of the decommissioned Nuclear Reactors after their operational life of about 50 years.. Even after decades of scientific research, no one has so far figured out how and where to store the radioactive waste created by nuclear power generation.?

 

 When we do not have the capability -- or even a plan -- to safely store the existing toxic radioactive waste, how can we move forward with more new NPPs?

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