Japan- once one of the world’s leaders in nuclear energy- with all but 2 of its 54 commercial nuclear reactors being shut down since Fukushima Daiichi disaster a year ago, will have at least temporarily shut down the energy source, once generated at least a third of its electricity.
Yet, Japan has so far reported to have succeeded in avoiding shortages, thanks in part to a drastic conservation program that has involved turning off air-conditioning in the summer and office lights during the day. It has also increased generation from conventional plants that use more expensive natural gas and other fossil fuels in a nation already uneasy about its reliance on foreign sources of energy.
“The contest over the future of atomic energy in Japan seems to be unfolding in the fishing town of 8,800 residents, 550 miles southwest of the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi plant and areas contaminated by its fallout. Two of the reactors at the Ohi Nuclear Power Plant were the first to finish the stress tests, making it a crucial test case of whether Japan’s nuclear plants can be restarted. The sprawling plant here was not damaged by the earthquake or tsunami but sits idled as the plant operator is unable to restart them because of opposition from local residents”.
With few alternatives, the prime minister, Yoshiko Noda, has called for restarting the plants as soon as possible, saying he supports a gradual phase-out of nuclear power over several decades. Yet, fearing public opposition, he has said he will not restart the reactors without the approval of local community leaders.
In contrast, in India we are trying to add more Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) under the “Myth of Nuclear Safety”, unmindful of its serious consequences that too brushing aside or ignoring the opposition from the local communities, being demonstrated by Kudunkulam, Jaitapur or Kovvada.
The other Myth is that economic vitality requires steadily increasing energy consumption which only contributes to high energy intensity, going against the energy security and economic competitiveness of the country & contributing to environmental degradation
The Energy Intensity (energy consumption per unit of GDP) continues to be higher than that of Japan, UK etc. with considerable scope for improvement, even after 10 years of Energy Conservation Act, 2001 and National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency.
Just by reducing T&D Losses to 10%, which is still higher than 5% achieved in some countries, and improving energy saving in consumption, having the potential of around 25 %, we can do away with the need for the projected Nuclear Power capacity of 64,000 MW by 2031-32 at exorbitant cost and impending hazard to Human-Environment, in addition to avoiding frequent power interruptions.
Yet, Japan has so far reported to have succeeded in avoiding shortages, thanks in part to a drastic conservation program that has involved turning off air-conditioning in the summer and office lights during the day. It has also increased generation from conventional plants that use more expensive natural gas and other fossil fuels in a nation already uneasy about its reliance on foreign sources of energy.
“The contest over the future of atomic energy in Japan seems to be unfolding in the fishing town of 8,800 residents, 550 miles southwest of the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi plant and areas contaminated by its fallout. Two of the reactors at the Ohi Nuclear Power Plant were the first to finish the stress tests, making it a crucial test case of whether Japan’s nuclear plants can be restarted. The sprawling plant here was not damaged by the earthquake or tsunami but sits idled as the plant operator is unable to restart them because of opposition from local residents”.
With few alternatives, the prime minister, Yoshiko Noda, has called for restarting the plants as soon as possible, saying he supports a gradual phase-out of nuclear power over several decades. Yet, fearing public opposition, he has said he will not restart the reactors without the approval of local community leaders.
In contrast, in India we are trying to add more Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) under the “Myth of Nuclear Safety”, unmindful of its serious consequences that too brushing aside or ignoring the opposition from the local communities, being demonstrated by Kudunkulam, Jaitapur or Kovvada.
The other Myth is that economic vitality requires steadily increasing energy consumption which only contributes to high energy intensity, going against the energy security and economic competitiveness of the country & contributing to environmental degradation
The Energy Intensity (energy consumption per unit of GDP) continues to be higher than that of Japan, UK etc. with considerable scope for improvement, even after 10 years of Energy Conservation Act, 2001 and National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency.
Just by reducing T&D Losses to 10%, which is still higher than 5% achieved in some countries, and improving energy saving in consumption, having the potential of around 25 %, we can do away with the need for the projected Nuclear Power capacity of 64,000 MW by 2031-32 at exorbitant cost and impending hazard to Human-Environment, in addition to avoiding frequent power interruptions.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment