Energy - Nuclear
Report findings
1) A US based institute called- Energy Economics and Financial Analysis revealed that GE-Hitachi and Westinghouse nuclear reactors were neither cost effective nor power efficient along with a huge risk factor. a. The first units of six nuclear reactors are not expected to produce electricity for the grid before 2031 2) Indian Institute of Chemical Technology has estimated that tariffs for electricity in Kovvada will be very high a. First year tariffs will be in range of Rs. 19.8 to Rs. 32.77per KwH b. Thus, it needs to be understood if it is worth to spend crores on nuclear power whose share is just 0.58% in primary energy demand of India
*Kovvada Nuclear Plant, Andhra Pradesh*
As part of the Indo-US nuclear deal signed almost a decade ago, India had offered GE and Westinghouse one site each to set up six units of 1000 MWe. Government in 2012 demarcated Kovvada land in Andhra Pradesh for acquisition to build nuclear power plant. This project is transferred from Gujarat. Westinghouse was given to Mithivirdi. But after protests from local people and also environmental objections, it was shifted to Andhra Pradesh
2) while the Nuclear Liability Law protects its citizenry from the potentially catastrophic fallout of a nuclear accident in the civilian nuclear sector, what guarantees do we have that India's nuclear black sites do not endanger the health of the people and the environment?
Evidence suggests that the Chitradurga and Khudapura sites may be degrading the surrounding grassland ecosystems called kavals, which are habitats for critically endangered local species such as the Great Indian Bustard, the Lesser Florican and the Black Buck, not to mention the livelihoods source for thousands of pastoral communities. In February 2014, NGOs in Karnataka including the Environment Support Group complained about government land acquisitions for DRDO and BARC in the Challakere in Chitradurga, and obtained a direction from the National Green Tribunal to halt construction activity that had commenced without securing permission from the Karnataka Forest Department and the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
1) growing concerns over the security of its nuclear materials
First, the need for heightened nuclear security has now become urgent, especially with the emergence of global jihadi threats such as the Islamic State. In this context, three potential nuclear terrorist threats relate to a. Extremists making or acquiring and exploding a nuclear bomb b. Danger of radioactive material being fashioned into a "dirty bomb" c. Risk of nuclear reactor sabotage. First and second scenarios are vectors of imminent concern in Pakistan, with analysts citing as examples a series of terrorist attacks in 2007 on nuclear weapons facilities in that country, including a nuclear missile storage facility at Sargodha and a nuclear airbase at Kamra.
A history of the Nuclear Security Summits:
Key objective of nuclear security summit: The Nuclear Security Summits have been about adoption of measures to prevent terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda from gaining access to nuclear weapons, fissile or radiological material, or from attacking nuclear facilities, through an array of national, bilateral or multilateral measures. Failure of USA to keep up its promise: It was President Barack Obama, who announced his initiative to convene serial Nuclear Security Summits in his much acclaimed Prague speech in 2009. But his key declaration in the speech was the re-commitment of the US to the goal of a world free of nuclear weapons. Thus accepting, nuclear disarmament and nuclear security were integrally linked.
*Washington, DC - fourth and final Nuclear Security Summit, a biennial conference series initiated in 2010 by the Barack Obama administration.*
Mr.Modi will no doubt seek to showcase India's nuclear regime as one that adheres to the highest standards of transparency and safety through rigorous regulation of nuclear products and institutions.
Survey support
National Geophysical Research Institute has conducted study which classified Kovvada as low vulnerability of zone 2
What did USA say at the fourth nuclear security summit?
On the eve of the summit, the US President said: "we've reduced the number and role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy. We have also ruled out developing new nuclear warheads and narrowed contingencies under which the US could ever use or threaten to use nuclear weapons". This implies USA will not completely zero down its stockpile of nuclear weapons, it will only reduce the number. (by how much ? is the key over here...) A point to note: USA reportedly plans to spend $1 trillion over 30 years on an entire new generation of nuclear bombs, bombers, missiles and submarines. After the Ukraine crisis, USA has reportedly ordered 200 additional nuclear weapons to be deployed in Europe.
Ground Realities- A lookout
One view People are ready to move out from the plant/nearby plant areas as they have lost their primary livelihood already (fishing), persistent unavailability of drinking water, no MGNREGA facility or any old age pension scheme They await a 'good package' of Rs. 25 lakh for each family as a 'Relief and Rehabilitation' scheme before they hand over their lands Another view "No, we don't want nuclear plant, we love our Kovvada" is a slogan one hears on the beach. The 560 acres of coconut plantation is expected to be lost if the nuclear plant comes in the vicinity. Some people are doubting the officials who assure them best monetary package, when their real concern is the information they have got about radiation effects that cause serious damages to human, animal and environmental health. Also, government's promise of employment opportunities is looked at with scepticism. When graduates from their villages did not get job assurance from NPCIL or villagers themselves found that they will be end up as coolies during the construction work and will be out of employment once the plant is constructed, they doubt if the development and prosperity is for them.
Impact of Nuclear Power Plant Operation on Thermal Ecology, Biodiversity and Agriculture
• Entire heat from the fission reaction cannot be utilized for the purpose of electricity generation; a part of it is released into the surroundings • Stringent guidelines have been laid down on, to what extent the discharge can bring about thermal changes in the surroundings • The size of mixing zone should be within 500 diameters around the reactor and the temperature change should not be more than 7C • This will ensure minimum damage to the surrounding areas
Concerns associated with nuclear energy
• Health concerns - Cancer and genetically induced disorders • Affects agriculture and fishing in the surrounding due to high temperature • Viable only through higher government subsidies • Nuclear weapons • Nuclear reactors and disasters • Radioactive waste
Role of Nuclear energy in Energy mix
• India currently generates 3.5% of its total electricity from Nuclear energy • Given the positive correlation between per capita electricity consumption and human development, India needs to drastically increase its electricity generation • Large chunk of it would come from Coal based thermal power plants. • The remaining has to come through renewable energy sources • Solar and Wind energy cannot contribute as much as Nuclear energy • Coal imports are rising due to poor quality of Indian coal, uncertainty in supply and bottlenecks in large scale mining and transportation • Nuclear provides a clear advantage over other sources of conventional and non-conventional sources of energy
Long term energy security
• India is abundantly blessed with sunlight and vast reserves of Thorium • Utilizing thorium for electricity generation has been temporarily out of our reach - thorium has to be converted to fissile material (U-233) for initiating and sustaining fission reaction • This has been the ultimate goal of India's 3 stage nuclear programme, aimed at increasing the inventory of fissile material in the first and second stages of the programme to facilitate electricity generation from Thorium in the third stage
Nuclear energy has given us a viable energy option due to the following
• It is safe and reliable source of energy which has a minimum carbon foot print and its steady and uninterrupted supply makes it ideally suitable for meeting base load requirements • It is associated with a very high energy density and the compactness of its energy source translates into easy transportation of fuel and smooth operation of large size power plants capable of supplying uninterrupted electricity to large metropolis and high power consuming industries • With a steady and significant rise of fossil fuel price, nuclear energy has become one of the most commercially attractive energy options • Countries who had rapidly grown their nuclear power generating capacity in the second half of the last century have demonstrated a very impressive capacity factor and reliable and safe operation over a period of several decades • The nuclear energy option, if exploited to its full potential can provide sustainable energy for the world for several centuries to come
Safety of Nuclear power
• Norms and standards that are maintained in nuclear installations are of the highest standards across the globe • India has to assess the cost benefit ratio of nuclear energy and at the same time focus on maintaining the highest standards when it comes to Nuclear safety • This has been time and again demonstrated earlier, when the Kalpakkam reactor and the Kakrapar reactor withstood the might of the nature during 2004 Tsunami and 2001 Earthquake respectively
Management of Long-lived Radioactive waste
• Separation of the long-lived isotopes from the spent fuel and incinerate them in fast reactors or by irradiating them with high energy charged particles in accelerator driven systems • The adoption of closed nuclear fuel cycle which involves reprocessing of the spent fuel to separate useful fissionable materials and long lived minor actinides is necessary • The waste management plants in India convert high active waste into a glassy form which is stored in multi-barrier interim engineered storage facilities
The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010
The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010 fixes liability for nuclear damage and specifies procedures for compensating victims. The Bill fixes no-fault liability on operators and gives them a right of recourse against certain persons. It caps the liability of the operator at Rs 500 crore. For damage exceeding this amount, and up to 300 million SDR, the central government will be liable. All operators (except the central government) need to take insurance or provide financial security to cover their liability. For facilities owned by the government, the entire liability up to 300 million SDR will be borne by the government. The Bill specifies who can claim compensation and the authorities who will assess and award compensation for nuclear damage. Those not complying with the provisions of the Bill can be penalised.
Nuclear hub in making
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) plans to install six nuclear reactors, each generating 1,594 megawatts (MW), or 9,564 MW of power overall. This will throw the normal life out of gear of the communities of Kovvada as they will have to shift to other areas. Andhra Pradesh has permitted for the establishment of string of nuclear plants along the coastline- both U.S. and Russian-which will together generate 30,000 MW by 2031.
India at the fourth nuclear summit
The Prime Minister announced several contributions to nuclear security. India will participate in the informal international "contact group", which fosters cooperation in countering nuclear smuggling. India's own Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) will participate in the group on nuclear security training and support centres and centres of excellence. India has also announced that none of its research reactors will be using HEU (highly enriched uranium) henceforth. India also used the summit to focus on the threat to nuclear security posed by state sponsorship of terrorist groups and the pursuit of risky escalatory policies such as the deployment of theatre nuclear weapons.
Outcome of the fourth nuclear summit:
The summit adopted a Washington Communiqué and five fairly detailed "action plans" relating to key components of the nuclear security regime. These are all directed towards the laudable aim of securing all nuclear-related materials, devices and facilities so as to prevent access by non-state actors and terrorist groups.
NPCIL
When state government is acting in an unfriendly manner with ban on land registration, the NPCIL is making all efforts to encourage people to accept the RR package which it calls 'the best package ever'. It has deposited the first tranche of Rs.359 crore of the Rs.1,000 crore it has earmarked as relief and rehabilitation (R&R) package with the Srikakulam District Collector. NPCIL officers believe that local people will cooperate once they get the assured monetary reliefs.
*Nuclear Security Summit*
"There is no nuclear security as long as nuclear weapons exist", was the blunt message carried by the demonstrators on the opening day of the Fourth Nuclear Security Summit in Washington on March 31, 2016. This message from the people and the outcomes of the fourth nuclear summit clearly indicate the vulnerability of the nuclear security strategy of the world.
Conclusion Too much haste?
1) Former Union Energy Secretary has expressed displeasure over showing such rush in building the nuclear plant in Kovvada a. There has been no scientific bases on which the site is chosen. b. Intense seismic activity was recorded by the Department of Atomic Energy's own agencies c. Four fault lines run through the region d. It is also a cyclone affected area Yet, the site has been selected for building the nuclear plant. With such plans, Fukushima disaster can't be ruled out 2) Exposure to radiations can lead to genetic disorders and cancer. The sufferings can last till generations. And more importantly, though some people knew, most of them were not made aware fully of such critical information 3) Chernobyl disaster: A WHO report mapping the impact of disaster after two decades mentioned a. Increased incidence of thyroid cancer b. Doubling of leukaemia c. Radiation cataract d. Mental health issues 4) Though Social Impact Assessment has been on the agenda, the environmental clearance for the project is yet to be sought. 5) 20000 people are estimated to be displaced which belong to agriculture and fishing families, affecting a total population of more than 6 lakhs. What remains to be seen is if people will succumb to the temporary monetary bait or fight for their human rights.
On safety
1) The new age reactors require less land 2) The reactors have latest Generation-III plus pressurised water type which automatically shuts down in case of an accident or an earthquake above 7.2 magnitude. 3) Once the reactors shut down, they cooling takes place on its own in the fortnight. 4) Human intervention is required after that only.
Where is safety?
1) Vicinity of plant a. Kovvada and surrounding villages have many families living within the 'exclusion' zone, i.e. the immediate vicinity of the nuclear plant upto 1.5km from the project site where no one is expected to live. b. There are 42 villages in the 'sterilised' zone, upto 5 km where no development should take place. c. In the 'emergency' zone which is upto 16km, there are 66 villages 2) Safety from nuclear issue is debatable as a. Neither India has experience in handling new generation reactors- whether GE- Hitachi's Economic simplified boiling water reactor or Westinghouse's AP1000 b. Nor an independent and strong regulatory mechanism - The Atomic Regulatory Board works like an arm of DAE 3) Another issue is of Indian Civil Nuclear Liability law which has a low liability cap a. The liability for Kovvada is put at Rs. 1600 crore for a plant whereas its cost is whopping Rs. 4 lakh crore!!
Interlocutors in the U.S. may be hoping for a break with India's tradition of maintaining a masterful silence on two questions surrounding its nuclear policy.
1) growing concerns over the security of its nuclear materials 2) at a time when India's macro strategy of rapid economic development is premised on a climate of neighbourly peace and stability in the region, need for the hour is that call for an end to the nuclear arms race in Asia and address environmental risks of India's covert weapons plants
There are likely to be a number of other such walled-off weapons development zones across the breadth of the country posing two critical questions:
1) what are the broader implications of India's covert nuclear programme for the triangular standoff vis-à-vis Pakistan and China? 2) while the Nuclear Liability Law protects its citizenry from the potentially catastrophic fallout of a nuclear accident in the civilian nuclear sector, what guarantees do we have that India's nuclear black sites do not endanger the health of the people and the environment?
Resistance in Kovvada
Four years ago, Kovvada had experienced a small resistance movement. The protestors, including the fisherfolk, anti-nuclear activists and leaders of political parties raised slogans against establishment of the nuclear power plant as it would rob them of their livelihood and expose to high dose of radiation Relay hunger strike: It began in December 2012 where hundreds of people staged protests and raised slogans against the power plant. it lasted for more than 150 days With passage of time and no strong political backing, the movement lost its steam. The fishermen are indulged in knitting long nylon and plastic threads into hammocks because effluents from nearby pharma industries into the water bodies consumed their fishes. Activists cite four reasons for 'Destination Andhra Pradesh' for nuclear plants a. Warm rapport between leadership of central and state government b. AP's huge requirement for power as it shifts from agriculture to industrialisation c. Ready availability of government land d. Virtually no resistance from people Creating a dumpyard: it is feared by activists that Andhra Pradesh may become a nuclear dumpyard as it is willingly accepting the nuclear power plant project, which is opposed by people in states of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and even Gujarat
Assessment of India's nuclear security
Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government cautioned that U.S. officials ranked Indian nuclear security measures as weaker than those of Pakistan and Russia. U.S. experts visiting the sensitive Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in 2008 described the security arrangements there as extraordinarily low key. Harvard report notes, there are concerns about threats within Indian nuclear facilities stemming in part from "significant insider corruption", and what appears to be inconsistent strength of regulation. An example that the report cites relates to the 2014 case of Vijay Singh, head constable at the Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam, who shot and killed three people with his service rifle. Event may have been avoided had the Central Industrial Security Force's personnel reliability programme been able to detect Mr. Singh's deteriorating mental health, which it failed to do despite multiple complaints raised by his colleagues that he was about to explode like a firecracker. With a scarcity of data points on insider threats and the attendant concerns about sabotage and nuclear accidents, the unsurprising conclusion of the report was: Given the limited information available about India's nuclear security measures, it is difficult to judge whether India's nuclear security is capable of protecting against the threats it faces.
Way ahead
If India is willing to be more open about discussing its nuclear weapons programme with a view to ultimately denuclearising the neighbourhood, it would by far be one of the most courageous contributions that India could make towards a lasting sub-continental security.
Political angle
In 2012, the protestors mainly included cadre of TDP workers, which was then in opposition. The opposition in parliament during the UPA rule also opposed the nuclear power plant project. However, now the centre and the Andhra Pradesh state government are in support of the project. It is not a political issue in the State as all parties have agreed to the project. However, this time it is the CPI (M) which is mobilising the masses to rise against the proposed plant at Kovvada.
1) what are the broader implications of India's covert nuclear programme for the triangular standoff vis-à-vis Pakistan and China?
India's search for thermonuclear weapons certainly exacerbates the nuclear arms race with its neighbours, specifically by sparking dangerous games of tit-for-tat weaponisation, loose talk about tactical superiority and theatre nukes, and growing doubts about deterrence stability. The region is already a potential hothouse of nuclear posturing — a fact advocated by the independent Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's estimates that India has something in the range 90-110 nuclear weapons, Pakistan has around 120, and China has close to 260
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA)
It is a formal process used to predict the environmental consequences of any development project. Environment Impact Assessment in India is statutory backed by the Environment Protection Act in 1986, which contains various provisions on EIA methodology and process
Land Acquisition
Plans to acquire 2000 acres of land- some fallow, some fertile- in Kovvada This is expected to displace 3000 families Government's rule: the state government has declared ban on land registration In simple terms, no one can buy or sell lands, use it as collaterals to raise loan for health emergencies or marriages. Indirectly, the state government expects the people to leave the place themselves as they cannot live in such areas, with such rules. NPCIL has completed the survey of 1200 acres of government land after the project was proposed four years ago As per government, a big part of land is illegally occupied by the big landowners and landless. This has encouraged government for a speedier process However, there are holes in private land survey done by Revenue Department officials where the farmers have alleged under-measurement of their land to reduce compensation amount. Astonishingly, the state government says that it has no role in deciding anything relating to such projects which come under the aegis of the Central government and NPCIL As per a state government official, the Government of India has just asked the state government to look for nuclear plant sites in Nellore and Prakasam districts US will build nuclear plant at Kovvada, Russia is expected in Nellore / Prakasam.
India's clandestine weapons development programme
Recent evidence that this shadowy realm of government activity has been proceeding swiftly beyond the scrutiny of the media and public surfaced in June 2014 IHS Jane's, a U.S.-based military intelligence think tank, discovered satellite imagery showing efforts underway to extend a Mysore nuclear centrifuge plant constructed in 1992 at the Rare Metals Plant at that location. According to Jane's, the purpose behind this extension may have been the covert production of uranium hexafluoride, which could be channelled towards the manufacture of hydrogen bombs or naval reactors to power India's nuclear submarine fleet. Institute for Science and International Security, revealed additional satellite imagery suggesting that India was building a Special Material Enrichment Facility, including constructing an industrial-scale centrifuge complex in Chitradurga district in Karnataka. Centre for Public Integrity (CPI), reported in Foreign Policy magazine, confirmed that India's under-radar ambition to acquire thermonuclear weapons at the Chitradurga site had advanced much further than many had suspected.
