Go nuclear think smatter….

Go nuclear think smatter….

For a large developing country like India with large population density, nuclear power will play an important role for sustainable supply of energy.

Nuclear power is the fourth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydro and renewable sources of electricity. As of 2010, India has 20 nuclear power plants in operation generating 4,780 MW while 5 other are under construction and are expected to generate an additional 3,900 MW. India’s nuclear power industry is undergoing rapid expansion with plans to increase nuclear power output to 63,000 MW by 2032.

Only Nuclear Energy offers Emission free energy on the massive and expanding scale the world so urgently requires. Moreover nuclear energy is considered to be an environmentally benign source of energy. India stands 9th in the world in terms of number of operational nuclear power reactors. 14 reactors will be put under the India Specific Safeguards Agreement by 2014.

Looking at the importance of nuclear energy to effectively bridge the energy gap for India, Nuclear Energy will provide India a valuable future.

Coal provides 68% of the electricity at present, but reserves are limited. Gas provides 8%, hydro 14%. The per capita electricity consumption figure is expected to double by 2020, with 6.3% annual growth, and reach 5000-6000 kWh by 2050.

As a result, India's nuclear power program has proceeded largely without fuel or technological assistance from other countries. Its power reactors to the mid 1990s had some of the world's lowest capacity factors, reflecting the technical difficulties of the country's isolation, but rose impressively from 60% in 1995 to 85% in 2001-02.  Then in 2008-10 the load factors dropped due to shortage of uranium fuel.
 

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is responsible for design, construction, commissioning and operation of thermal nuclear power plants.  At the start of 2010 it said it had enough cash on hand for 10,000 MWe of new plant. Its funding model is 70% equity and 30% debt financing. However, it is aiming to involve other public sector and private corporations in future nuclear power expansion, notably National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).  NTPC is largely government-owned, and the 1962 Atomic Energy Act prohibits private control of nuclear power generation, though it allows minority investment. As of late 2010 the government had no intention of changing this to allow greater private equity in nuclear plants.
The main advantage of this type of power has over other methods is that it is a clean way to produce energy as it does not result in the emission of any of the poisonous gases like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide or nitrogen dioxide.

The nuclear waste which occurs due to the production of nuclear power is not only small in quantity but also remains confined so as not to affect anyone in its surroundings. It has been proved that if a typical family of four uses nuclear power for all its needs then the waste produced over a period of a lifetime would be as small as a golf ball.

The source of nuclear power is uranium and this is available in abundance in the crust of the earth with major deposits being covered in Canada and Australia. Therefore, since the source of nuclear power is readily available now and also for centuries to come, this form of power is virtually inexhaustible.

The biggest fear associated with nuclear power is the fear of radiation and this can only be overcome by educating the people about the method of radiation and its behavior. People would be surprised to know that radiation has been a part of our environment ever since its existence and that radiation in moderate amounts can even be advantageous to our health. Therefore, radiation need not be feared from but can be channeled appropriately to serve mankind in positive way. It is good, scientific as well as environment friendly because of which it is being supported by many ecological organizations and environmentalists who were previously biased against it.