Snubbing concerns about the threat from nuclear reactors, Dr RK Sinha, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) said on Monday that India’s future lies in nuclear energy, and atomic reactors in India are among the safest, posing no threat of radiation as per scientific studies.
His assurance comes after Kudankulam and Jaitapur nuclear projects have witnessed huge protests from locals and activists for years, raising concerns over hazardous radiations, especially after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan which resulted in a meltdown of three reactors.
India's reactors 'safest'
Referring to a research paper published in the latest issue of the journal Conservation Biology by 75 environmentalists, who cited data on deaths in thermal, hydro, solar and nuclear reactors, Sinha said, “The research and surveys have shown that the nuclear reactors are the safest and sustainable way to produce power than conventional modes. Moreover, reactors in India are the safest and there is no threat of radiation from them as against the perception.”
Sinha was speaking at the plenary session of the 102nd Indian Science Congress being held at Mumbai University. He also cited a 1995 study of 1,60,000 people on the Kerala coast where natural radiation is 35 millisievert (mSv)/year. The study showed there was no precedence of congenital defects or higher cases of cancer in the area. “In fact, cancer patients living in the area have shown better repairing capacity,” said Sinha. For workers, the safe radiation limit is 20 mSv/year and for the public it is 1 msV/year. However, there is no threat up to 100 mSv/year.
Sinha also said that Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is currently working on an advanced heavy water reactor, which is shut from all sides, protecting people from exposure. Even decay heat can be removed without using power in this reactor, he said.
India's present nuclear power capacity
At present, India's nuclear power capacity is over 5,780 MW. The country aims to produce 10,080 MW by 2017 using pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR), plutonium fast breeder, thorium reactors and imported reactors, all of which pose no threat of radiation, said Sinha. The next objectives are to produce 27,480 MW by 2024 and 63,000 MW by 2052 using nuclear energy.
India needs to move on to nuclear fusion based power generation
Sinha also said that thorium-fuelled indigenous nuclear power plants are good over the short term. However, the country needs to move forward quickly and decisively to set the stage for hydrogen-fuelled nuclear fusion-based power generation as its bread and butter for the future.
Thorium, a fissionable fuel, is the second-most available element on earth and found abundantly in India's coastal sands. No other country's scientists have done as much neutron physics work on thorium as have India's. The positive results they obtained have motivated nuclear engineers to use thorium-based fuels in the more advanced reactors that will soon enter the construction stage.
A new record
Sinha said that the Indian reactor at Rawatbhata have recently made a record of running for 765 days without any halt which is the second longest in the history of nuclear energy sector in the world.
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