Nuclear energy – an inevitable option

Nuclear energy – an inevitable option

— Subhas Chandra Goswami

Energy security is paramount for a country for its security against external forces, economic growth and subsequent improvement of quality of life. In this regard for a country like ours with nearly one-sixth of the world population but with low per capita income the problem is a bit complex. Of course in recent past India has witnessed an impressive growth rate in GDP. The Union Finance Minister feels that the gross domestic product will grow further. But there are many hurdles.When we talk of economic growth and quality of life, the first thing that comes to mind is energy sector. Compared to the developed countries, per capita consumption of energy in India is very low. India with 16 per cent of the world’s population occupying 2 per cent of the world’s land mass is currently generating only about 2 per cent global energy, India has about 6 per cent of world’s coal reserve and oil and gas being less than 1 per cent. India’s uranium reserve is about 0.8 per cent of the world. However there is a silver lining, India possesses about 32 per cent of world’s thorium reserve which is yet to be optimally used. Use of thorium in a nuclear reactor can greatly ease the energy need of the country.The power requirement of the country currently is about 1,00,000 MW, which is expected to be double by 2016 and about three times by 2021-22. At present out of total power generated, 30 per cent comes from crude oil, 8.5 per cent from has 55 per cent from coal, 5.5 per cent from nuclear sources. Contribution from solar, wind, biogas, vegetable oil etc is ineligible.Discovery of petroleum is only about 150 years old. If we consider the history of human civilisation this period is microscopic. However discovery of petroleum has changed the way of life of human beings beyond imagination. But petroleum is non-renewable source of energy and oil is not going to last for ever. Now crude oil and gas together meet about 40 per cent of the energy requirement of the country. Crude oil demand is currently about 140 MMTA, while domestic production of crude is only 34 MMTA (Assam accounts for 4.5 MMTA). Presently India is importing about 72 per cent of its need, which is projected to be about 90 per cent by 2025. With increase in urban population and improvement of quality of life, the crude oil demand will only increase in future to a stagaring figure. With no projected large scale new discovery of domestic crude and ever increasing international crude price, the present cost of import of about 1900 billion rupees may spiral to a figure, which will never be comfortable for the economy of the country. With the addition of environmental angle to this economic scendric, the viability of increasing power generation with petroleum products is limited.Coming to coal, India has about 6 per cent of coal reserve of the world. At present coal is the dominant source of energy of the country. Coal reserves, even if one assumes a modest growth in consumption at the rate of 5 per cent per year, will last only till the middle of this century. However, exploitation of natural resources without degradation of environment beyond the inherent corrective capability of natural process shoud be kept in mind while using coal to meet long time energy requirement. For long term perspective, coal bed methane (CBM) is an option as this source will also prevent environmental pollution due to passive emission of methane from coal mines.Hydro potential has of course prospect in the country. However, per megawatt cost of capital investment for hydropower is high. Moreover, though operation of hydroelectric plant is environment friendly, construction of dams for hydroelectric plants does involve social and ecological issues. Controversy arising out of displacement of population due to submerging of large areas along with their cultivable land has stopped for slowed down many of the hydroelectric projects in the country.Among the other options available, potential of solar is significant because major part of the country enjoys sunshine for better part of the year. But on the basis of current available technology it is not economically competitive. The potential for wind and sea power is also not harnessed to the desired level due to these being not economically viable yet. Bio-diesel and bio-ethanol have generated a lot of excitement around the world. The energy crops are being harnessed to a significant extent in some countries, Growing energy crops requires not only land, but also water and sunshine. One of the reasons of present shortage of food supply in the worlds is diversion of land from food crops to energy crops in some countries including USA. Energy crop has potential in countries like Argentina and Brazil which are not densely populated. But in a densely populated country like ours there will be direct competition between energy crop and food crop for land and food crop will always get priority.Considering the present and future energy need and potential of the country and other associated issues like technology, economic, social and environmental, there is only one option and that is harnessing nuclear power. Dr R Chidambaram, former Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission said, “Today India is the only developing country that has demonstrated its capability to design, build, operate and maintain nuclear power plants.” Experts say future of nuclear power in India is bright and in fact a target of 20,000 MW by the year 2020 is considered conservative. Access to large nuclear energy with minimum use of earth resources and negligible or minimum adverse impact on earth’s environment is now possible with the technology available in the country. In countries like France 75 per cent of the total electric power comes from nuclear sources.As mentioned earlier, India’s uranium reserve is about 0.8 per cent of the world. If this precious uranium is used on one through basis and disposed of, it cannot contribute much to the energy need of the country. However uranium, both domestic and imported can be used with thorium of which 32 per cent of the world’s reserve is available in the country. Without trying to be technical, it can be stated that the process involves three stages and in the third stage thorium and uranium 233 based nuclear reactors can meet long term energy requirement of the country.We have observed that inspite of having the technology and large quantity of thorium the nuclear power generation proramme of the country has faced some road blocks. Unfortunately these road blocks are not technical but of political nature. Negotiation with UN atomic watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), draft agreement of which to be put up for approval before the member nations of the Nuclear supplier Group for the State guard Agreement have been completed by the Government, but its signing is on hold pending clearance from the left parties. Firming up of Safeguard Agreement with IAEA is a crucial step for implementation of Indo-US civil nuclear deal. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam publicly expressed that Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement will achieve national interest. This is agreed to by major political parties of the country. However left parties are having a different view. They are advocating that sovereignty of the country will be compromised by this deal. We feel sovereignty does not come into stake by seeking external aid for fissile material. If it was so, we would have lost our sovereignty long ago when for a long time after independence India was almost completely dependent on USSR and later on Russia for military hardware of the country. There is no permanent friends or foes in international politics. When Deng Ziaoping ushered in market oriented system to bolster private enterprises in place of earlier centrally planned economy which compelled him to deal with USA said that he did not care, whether the cat was black or white so long it caught nice. Earlier the left parties of the country understand this the better.(The writer is a former GM of BRPL) Source: assam tribune editorial