Scientist bats for nuke power, says Koodankulam unit is safe

CHENNAI: Batting for nuclear power as an alternative green source of energy auguring well for India's future energy needs, a senior scientist vouched for the safety of the controversial Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project, in the eye of a storm following demands for its closure.

Holding that the very design of the power plant was drawn incorporating various requirements, former Vice Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) G R Srinivasan said the power plant was also equipped with some of the most advanced technical and safety features.

"There will be a requirement of almost none or minimum security measures in case of a Fukushima-like incident. The generation station design too is a collaboration of major requirements," he said at a meeting here organised by Chemical Industries Association to discuss the matter.

Further, different independent equipment with individual power supply to monitor various aspects were also in place and even if one of them detected any problem, it will be immediately communicated, he said.

Citing safety concerns, the local villagers and fishermen in and around Koodankulam have been demanding scrapping of the Indo-Russian collaboration project, set to begin commercial production in December with the commissioning of the first of the 2x1000 MWe reactors.

Srinivasan, also a former Director, Projects, Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), said the plant had features such as better seismic and tsunami resistance and could withstand a Fukushima-like accident and others.

Further, higher life and operatability at 90 per cent of the capacity were other features, he said.

Holding that nuclear energy remains the "safest energy source," he said world over, countries such as China and Iran besides India were "going full swing" with the construction of atomic reactors.

With India possessing 25 per cent of the world's thorium deposits, it would help the country generate lakhs of megawatts of power in the next several decades, he said.