[Following editorial has been published in The Hindu on 14th March 2016. Read through it and try to answer the questions that follow. Please do not copy and paste answers. The objective of this exercise is to get you in the groove of answer-writing. Try to write in your own words. Don't hesitate to write in a bulleted-format, if you are uncomfortable in writing in paragraph form.]
The shutdown of the 220 MW Unit-1 of the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station located in Gujarat’s Surat district following leakage of heavy water used to cool the nuclear reactor, on March 11, the fifth anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster in Japan, is at once a reminder of the inherent risks associated with operating nuclear reactors and the importance of augmenting safety mechanisms. Unlike the Fukushima accident, rated seven (the highest level) on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale, where meltdown of the core of three reactors occurred due to the failure of the cooling system, it is reassuring that the safety systems of the KAPS reactor worked as intended, including the backup cooling systems, thus preventing any cascading event leading to radioactivity release outside the plant. While this may be a “rare event for a functioning plant” that happened for the “first time” in India, it is a cause for concern that the magnitude of the coolant system failure was “significant”. That the reactor has been shut down and an independent assessment of the safety situation at the plant is being undertaken by scientists from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board evokes confidence. The second unit here has remained shut since July 2015 for maintenance. While the AERB has maintained its independence in terms of its risk assessment and management functions, there is no room for complacency. It must be borne in mind that collusion between the Japanese government, the country’s regulator and the operator had led to many violations that were detrimental to the environment and human health.
Given the heightened fear of nuclear energy in India following the Fukushima disaster, the only way AERB officials can reassure the public and win confidence is by being more transparent with its findings, however grave they are, and by taking all necessary steps to ensure that similar events are averted in the future. Just as lessons learnt from the Fukushima accident led to an enhancement of the level of safety of the backup systems in reactors that are under construction in India, lessons from this incident should be put to good use. These steps are indeed warranted as India plans to increase the installed nuclear power capacity from the current 5,780 MW to 10,080 MW by the end of the Twelfth Plan (2017) and 20,000 MW by 2020. Also, India gave an assurance in Paris that by 2030 it would reduce carbon emissions relative to its GDP by 33-35 per cent from 2005 levels and also generate 40 per cent of the country’s electricity from non-fossil fuel-based sources, using among others the solar, wind and nuclear options. While India has positioned itself as a leader in the renewable energy sector by playing a pivotal role in the creation of the International Solar Alliance, the nuclear space is plagued by delays in completing the construction of reactors, as seen in the case of Kota in Rajasthan (RAPP 7 and 8) and at Kakrapar (KAPP 3 and 4). Whether public sentiment supports fresh nuclear reactor proposals would depend on how well the AERB fulfils its tasks.
Questions:
1. How is Nuclear power generated? What all materials are required for Nuclear Power generation?
2. What is the total installed capacity of Nuclear Power in India? What is its share in total capacity of renewable sources of energy and total installed capacity (renewable + non-renewable)?
3. Which agency/organisation in India is responsible for operating nuclear power plants in India? How many nuclear power plants are currently operating in India?
4. What are some drawbacks of Nuclear Power generation? Mention a few cases of nuclear plant disasters?
5. What is meant by cooling process in a nuclear reactor? What are various types of coolants used in Nuclear Power Plants?
6. What is Atomic Energy Regulatory Board? What are its roles and functions?
7. Why has India not been able to exploit nuclear power for electricity generation despite having significant knowledge of technology needed for the same?
8. What are the various stages of India's Nuclear Program? What is the current status of development of the same?
1. How is Nuclear power generated? What all materials are required for Nuclear Power generation?
ReplyDeleteA nuclear plant uses pellets to power it. Thousands of such pellets of ceramic uranium oxide fuel the core of the reactor. In the reactor core, the uranium 235 isotopes split producing a lot of energy (heat) in a continuous reaction. The reaction is controlled by and done in the presence of a moderator like graphite to control it. The moderator slows down the neutrons released during the process so that they continue to split and the reaction continues.
Materials required for nuclear power generation are fuel rods containing uranium, control rods containing cadmium, boron, graphite, or other non-fissionable material.
2. What is the total installed capacity of Nuclear Power in India? What is its share in total capacity of renewable sources of energy and total installed capacity (renewable + non-renewable)?
With capacity factor of 74% (upto Jan, 2016), the gross generation of nuclear power in India was 30869 million units.
Nuclear power plants contribute to 3.5% of India’s current electricity generation.
3. Which agency/organisation in India is responsible for operating nuclear power plants in India? How many nuclear power plants are currently operating in India?
Currently there are 21 nuclear power plants operating in India.
Out of the five PSU’s by Department of Atomic Energy, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited are responsible for operation of India’s nuclear power plants.
Department of Atomic Energy under the direct charge of the Prime Minister is engaged for development of nuclear power technology, application of radiation technologies in the fields of agriculture, medicine, industry and basic research.
Atomic Energy Commission is responsible for implementing government policy in all matters concerning atomic energy and for creating policy and preparing annual Budgets for the Department of Atomic Energy.
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board is in charge of safety of all nuclear operations in India.
4. What are some drawbacks of Nuclear Power generation? Mention a few cases of nuclear plant disasters?
i) Radioactive materials are far and few in the world and are distributed unequally.
ii) Supply of high quality uranium, one of the essential raw materials will only last a few decades.
iii) Nuclear waste creates thermal pollution and disposal is a huge problem.
iv) there always a danger of leakage into the environment.
v) there is opposition on moral grounds as well since they are directly related to nuclear weaponry.
vi) there are many restrictions and global politics on the import and export of raw materials and technological know-how.
vii) they may be captured by terrorist groups or attacked by them.
viii) the waste products remain active for several years and waste disposal is a problem.
Several cases of nuclear plant disasters are Chernobyl Nuclear disaster in 1986, Fukushima in 2011, Kyshtym (Russia) in 1957, Three Mile Islands (US) in 1979.
5. What is meant by cooling process in a nuclear reactor? What are various types of coolants used in Nuclear Power Plants?
The massive amount of energy in the nuclear reactor needs to be transferred to convert it into electrical energy. This also helps to keep the working temperature of the reactor within moderate limits to keep it working.
Water, molten salts, gas (Helium), Hydrocarbons and molten Sodium are examples of coolants.
6. What is Atomic Energy Regulatory Board? What are its roles and functions?
ReplyDeleteIt is a statutory body deriving its authority from the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It is authorized to carry out certain regulatory and supervisory actions.
Role and functions of the AERB:
1. To develop policies for better safety in nuclear, industrial and radiation prone areas.
2. To develop safety guides and standards for design, construction, commissioning and decommissioning of the nuclear and radiation infrastructure.
3. To provide grants for construction of radiation and nuclear facilities after thorough inspection of safety has been conducted.
4. To ensure the compliance with all safety requirements during the whole process of granting consent for construction.
5. To prescribe the limit for radiation exposure of the workers and public and also the amount of release into the environment allowed.
6.Review of the level of emergency preparedness in case of a nuclear emergency.
7. Safety assessment of the method of transportation of a large amount of nuclear waste and raw materials.
8. Review of the training imparted to the personnel posted at such facilities and also review the syllabi being used to train them.
9. To take steps to inform the public on safety issues regarding radiation.
10. To promote research and development in the areas of safety.
11. To co-ordinate with statutory bodies nationally as well as internationally regarding safety issues.