Jaitapur nuclear power project
Encyclopedia
Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project is a proposed 9900 MW power project of Nuclear Power Corporation of India
(NPCIL) at Madban village of Ratnagiri
district in Maharashtra
. If built, it would be the largest nuclear power
generating station in the world by net electrical power rating.
On December 6, 2010 agreement was signed for the construction of first set of two third-generation European Pressurized Reactor
s and the supply of nuclear fuel
for 25 years in the presence of French President Nicolas Sarkozy
and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
.
French nuclear engineering firm Areva
S.A. and Indian state-owned nuclear operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India
signed this multi billion valued agreement of about $9.3 billion. This is a general framework agreement along with agreement on 'Protection of Confidentiality of Technical Data and Information Relating to Nuclear Power Corporation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy' was also signed.
Debate about the nuclear power
project at Jaitapur is ongoing on various levels. Environmental effects of nuclear power
and geological issues have been raised by anti nuclear activists. Many protests have been carried out by local people against the proposed nuclear power plant. On December 4, 2010, protests became violent when over 1500 people were detained from among thousands of protesters, who included environmentalists and local villagers. On April 18, 2011, one man was shot and killed by police and eight were injured after protests turned violent.
coast in Ratnagiri district
in the southwestern part of Maharashtra
, India
. The district is a part of Konkan
in Western Ghats
.It is also known as one of the best ports from the Neolithic era. In 2006, India applied to the UNESCO
MAB for the Western Ghats to be listed as a protected World Heritage Site. The Sahyadri Mountain range forms the eastern boundary of the Konkan, and the Arabian Sea
marks the western boundary. Jaitapur was one of the important ports in ancient and early medieval times.
designed and developed by Areva
of France
, each of 1650 megawatts, thus totaling 9900 megawatts. These are the third generation
pressurized water reactor
s (PWR).
Estimated cost of this project is around . This type of reactor is not currently operational anywhere in the world. The United States
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
had expressed concerns about the safety of the computer system in this reactor, but Finland
has ordered one such reactor nonetheless. The Finnish Olkiluoto 3 plant is currently under construction, but has experienced severe delays and cost overruns in construction. China
has signed the agreement with Areva
for three such reactors. Also, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Indian and French governments and an agreement between Areva, a French state run company, and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India during French President Nicolas Sarkozy
's visit to India during December 2010.
The cost of building the plant is about Rs 20 crore/MWe capacity compared with Rs 5 crore/MWe for a coal power station. The cost of electricity from this power plant will be below per Kilowatt hour.
A consortium of French financial institutions will finance this project as a loan. Both French and Indian government will give sovereign guarantee for this loan. The extent of guarantee will depend on what portion of the cost the French credit will cover. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will govern the interest rates and other terms of agreement. Interest rates and other terms are under discussion.
It is one of several nuclear power projects being undertaken in a thin strip of coast of Raigad
, Ratnagiri
and Sindhudurg
districts. The total power generating capacity proposed on a narrow strip of coastal land 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) to 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) km wide and 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) long is around 33,000 MW. The prospect of nuclear power generation in India received a boost after the Indo US Civilian Nuclear Agreement became operational in October 2008. India has also signed similar agreements with France and Russia.
passed in Indian Parliament in August 2010 is a hurdle in finalizing deal. This Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010 has a clause deals with the legal binding of the culpable groups in case of a nuclear accident. It allows only the operator (NPCIL) to sue the manufacturers and suppliers. Victims will not be able to sue anyone. In reality, no one will be considered legally liable because the recourse taken by the operator will yield only . United states of America has a law on liability-related issues for all non-military nuclear facilities constructed in the United States before 2026 named Price–Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act. This American Act establishes a no fault insurance-type system in which the first $10 billion is industry-funded as described in the Act (any claims above the $10 billion would be covered by the federal government).
project at Jaitapur is ongoing on various levels. Environmental effects of nuclear power
and geological issues have been raised by anti nuclear activists of India against this power project. Even though The Government of Maharashtra
state completed land acquisition in January 2010, only 33 out of the 2,335 villagers have accepted compensation cheques as of November 2010.
A public hearing on the environmental impact asessment
(EIA) Report, prepared by NEERI was conducted by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board
, on behalf of Ministry of Environment and Forests on 16 April 2010, at the plant site. The public hearing became controversial as the EIA report was not delivered for study to 3 of the 4 Gram panchayat
(local village bodies) a month in advance.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has also been filed against the government’s civil nuclear program at the apex Supreme Court. The PIL specifically asks for the "staying of all proposed nuclear power plants till satisfactory safety measures and cost-benefit analyses are completed by independent agencies".
sensitive area, the danger of an earthquake has been foremost on the minds of people. According to the Earthquake hazard zoning of India
, Jaitapur comes under Zone III. This zone is called the moderate Risk Zone and covers areas liable to MSK VIII
. The presence of two major creeks on the proposed site has been ignored while clearing the site. Post the Chernobyl disaster
and the Three Mile Island accident
,environmentalists, citizens of the area and the people world over are questioning about safety, as when in 2007 the largest nuclear generating station in the world Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant
in Japan
at the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant
was closed for five months following an earthquake.
The probability of a tsunami, and the damage thereof, has not been taken into account while clearing the site Nevertheless probability of a tsunami on the Arabian Sea coast is very low due to the lack of seismic activity in the ocean.Moreover jaitapur is located on plateau probablity of tsunami reaching jaitapur is quite less
It is not clear where the nuclear waste
emanating from the site will be dumped. The plant is estimated to generate 300 tonnes of waste each year. EPR waste will have about four times as much radioactive Bromine
, Iodine
, Caesium
, etc, compared to ordinary pressurized water reactor
.
Since the plant will use the sea water for cooling and then release warm water in the Arabian Sea, fishermen in villages around are predicting destruction of fisheries in the nearby sea. Media articles also highlight the possible human and fisheries cost of this project
Social impact assessment review of the project are being conducted by the Jamsetji Tata
centre for disaster management of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences
(TISS). According to this report, the Government of India is not fully transparent with its own citizens. The government is hiding facts about huge negative impact on the social and environmental development of the Konkan
region in general and the government also manipulating notification of the area from high severity earthquake zone to moderate seismic
severity zone.
source that reduces carbon emissions and increases energy security
by decreasing India's dependence on foreign oil. The promoter of Jaitapur project is Nuclear Power Corporation of India
. It is a public Sector Enterprise
under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (India)
.
As of 2010 India is on the sixth in rank of an elite club of nations, after USA, France, Japan, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea, to have twenty or more nuclear power reactors in operation. The company is currently operating 20 nuclear power plants at six locations in India and is implementing construction of 7 reactors at four locations. In 2009/10 company has generated 18831 million units of electricity.
According to former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission
Anil Kakodkar
, the Jaitapur site is the best as it fulfilled the technical and scientific norms needed for a nuclear power plant. It is proposed that the waste generated at the this nuclear power plant be recycled. Only five per cent of it would be encapsulated and stored at technologically advanced places. It will not be buried anywhere. The waste will be stored for the next 30 to 40 years, till scientists develop some technology to treat it.
The environmental impact assessment
and other associated studies of the Jaitapur project have been carried out in detail over the last few years by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)
, Nagpur
in collaboration with several other reputed organizations specializing in specific environment studies.
These studies include Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Pre-operational Baseline Radiological Survey of the Area around JNPP Site, Central Water and Power Research Station Pune, Thermal Dispersion Studies for Condenser Cooling Water (CCW) Discharges, Konkan Krishi Vidyapith
, College of Forestry, Dapoli
, Baseline Biodiversity
Study of the area around JNPP Site.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
has adopted a corporate social responsibility policy, by which 1.5 to 2 per cent of the net profit from Jaitapur plant would be spent in that area only. Development projects will be decided by local people and NPC will provide the funds to ensure development of these areas.
On December 4, 2010, protests became violent when over 1500 people were detained from among thousands of protesters, who included environmentalists and local villagers. Members and leaders of the Konkan Bachao Samiti (KBS) and the Janahit Seva Samiti (organizations that are spearheading opposition to the project) were also detained. In Mumbai, members of various trade unions and social organizations came together to protest against the project. The protesters have raised serious doubts about the neutrality of the Environment Impact Assessment Report, prepared by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) which forms the basis of environmental clearance for the project, since parallel studies by the Bombay Natural History Society
have shown that the project will cause substantial environmental damage.
On April 18, 2011, one man was shot and killed by police and eight were injured after protests against the plant turned violent.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is a government-owned corporation of India based in Mumbai. One of the public sector undertakings, it is wholly owned by the Union Government and is responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. NPCIL is administered by the...
(NPCIL) at Madban village of Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri
Ratnāgiri is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri district in the southwestern part of Maharashtra, India. The district is a part of Konkan.The Sahyadri mountains border Ratnagiri to the east...
district in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. If built, it would be the largest nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
generating station in the world by net electrical power rating.
On December 6, 2010 agreement was signed for the construction of first set of two third-generation European Pressurized Reactor
European Pressurized Reactor
The EPR is a third generation pressurized water reactor design. It has been designed and developed mainly by Framatome , Electricité de France in France, and Siemens AG in Germany...
s and the supply of nuclear fuel
Nuclear fuel
Nuclear fuel is a material that can be 'consumed' by fission or fusion to derive nuclear energy. Nuclear fuels are the most dense sources of energy available...
for 25 years in the presence of French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
.
French nuclear engineering firm Areva
Areva
AREVA is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate headquartered in the Tour Areva in Courbevoie, Paris. AREVA is mainly known for nuclear power; it also has interests in other energy projects. It was created on 3 September 2001, by the merger of Framatome , Cogema and...
S.A. and Indian state-owned nuclear operator Nuclear Power Corporation of India
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is a government-owned corporation of India based in Mumbai. One of the public sector undertakings, it is wholly owned by the Union Government and is responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. NPCIL is administered by the...
signed this multi billion valued agreement of about $9.3 billion. This is a general framework agreement along with agreement on 'Protection of Confidentiality of Technical Data and Information Relating to Nuclear Power Corporation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy' was also signed.
Debate about the nuclear power
Nuclear power debate
The nuclear power debate is about the controversy which has surrounded the deployment and use of nuclear fission reactors to generate electricity from nuclear fuel for civilian purposes...
project at Jaitapur is ongoing on various levels. Environmental effects of nuclear power
Environmental effects of nuclear power
The environmental impact of nuclear power results from the nuclear fuel cycle, operation, and the effects of nuclear accidents.The routine health risks and greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear fission power are small relative to those associated with coal, but there are "catastrophic risks": the...
and geological issues have been raised by anti nuclear activists. Many protests have been carried out by local people against the proposed nuclear power plant. On December 4, 2010, protests became violent when over 1500 people were detained from among thousands of protesters, who included environmentalists and local villagers. On April 18, 2011, one man was shot and killed by police and eight were injured after protests turned violent.
Geography
The proposed Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project is located at 16.59°N 73.35°E. It has an average elevation of 90 feet (27.4 m). This project will spread over 968 ha (3.7 sq mi; 9.7 km²) of land. Jaitapur is on the Arabian SeaArabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
coast in Ratnagiri district
Ratnagiri District
Ratnagiri district is one of the 35 districts of Maharashtra state in western India. Ratnagiri is the district headquarters of the district. The district is 11.33% urban. The district is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, Sindhudurg district to the south, Raigad district to the north and...
in the southwestern part of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. The district is a part of Konkan
Konkan
The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
in Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
.It is also known as one of the best ports from the Neolithic era. In 2006, India applied to the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
MAB for the Western Ghats to be listed as a protected World Heritage Site. The Sahyadri Mountain range forms the eastern boundary of the Konkan, and the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
marks the western boundary. Jaitapur was one of the important ports in ancient and early medieval times.
Project description
It is proposed to construct 6 European Pressurized ReactorsEuropean Pressurized Reactor
The EPR is a third generation pressurized water reactor design. It has been designed and developed mainly by Framatome , Electricité de France in France, and Siemens AG in Germany...
designed and developed by Areva
Areva
AREVA is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate headquartered in the Tour Areva in Courbevoie, Paris. AREVA is mainly known for nuclear power; it also has interests in other energy projects. It was created on 3 September 2001, by the merger of Framatome , Cogema and...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, each of 1650 megawatts, thus totaling 9900 megawatts. These are the third generation
Generation III reactor
A generation III reactor is a development of any of the generation II nuclear reactor designs incorporating evolutionary improvements in design developed during the lifetime of the generation II reactor designs...
pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactors constitute a large majority of all western nuclear power plants and are one of three types of light water reactor , the other types being boiling water reactors and supercritical water reactors...
s (PWR).
Estimated cost of this project is around . This type of reactor is not currently operational anywhere in the world. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is an independent agency of the United States government that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 from the United States Atomic Energy Commission, and was first opened January 19, 1975...
had expressed concerns about the safety of the computer system in this reactor, but Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
has ordered one such reactor nonetheless. The Finnish Olkiluoto 3 plant is currently under construction, but has experienced severe delays and cost overruns in construction. China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
has signed the agreement with Areva
Areva
AREVA is a French public multinational industrial conglomerate headquartered in the Tour Areva in Courbevoie, Paris. AREVA is mainly known for nuclear power; it also has interests in other energy projects. It was created on 3 September 2001, by the merger of Framatome , Cogema and...
for three such reactors. Also, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Indian and French governments and an agreement between Areva, a French state run company, and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India during French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
's visit to India during December 2010.
The cost of building the plant is about Rs 20 crore/MWe capacity compared with Rs 5 crore/MWe for a coal power station. The cost of electricity from this power plant will be below per Kilowatt hour.
A consortium of French financial institutions will finance this project as a loan. Both French and Indian government will give sovereign guarantee for this loan. The extent of guarantee will depend on what portion of the cost the French credit will cover. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) will govern the interest rates and other terms of agreement. Interest rates and other terms are under discussion.
It is one of several nuclear power projects being undertaken in a thin strip of coast of Raigad
Raigad district
Raigad District , also known as Raigarh District, is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located in the Konkan region. The district was renamed after Raigad, the fort which was the former capital of the Maratha leader Shivaji, and is located in the interior regions of the district,...
, Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri District
Ratnagiri district is one of the 35 districts of Maharashtra state in western India. Ratnagiri is the district headquarters of the district. The district is 11.33% urban. The district is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, Sindhudurg district to the south, Raigad district to the north and...
and Sindhudurg
Sindhudurg district
Sindhudurg is an administrative district in the state of Maharashtra in India, which was carved out of the erstwhile Ratnagiri District. The district headquarters are located at Oros . The district occupies an area of 5207 km² and has a population of 868,825 of which 9.47% were urban...
districts. The total power generating capacity proposed on a narrow strip of coastal land 50 kilometres (31.1 mi) to 90 kilometres (55.9 mi) km wide and 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) long is around 33,000 MW. The prospect of nuclear power generation in India received a boost after the Indo US Civilian Nuclear Agreement became operational in October 2008. India has also signed similar agreements with France and Russia.
Nuclear liability
According to Areva lack of clarity on The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010Nuclear Liability Bill
The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010 or Nuclear Liability Bill is a highly debated and controversial bill which was passed by both houses of Indian parliament...
passed in Indian Parliament in August 2010 is a hurdle in finalizing deal. This Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010 has a clause deals with the legal binding of the culpable groups in case of a nuclear accident. It allows only the operator (NPCIL) to sue the manufacturers and suppliers. Victims will not be able to sue anyone. In reality, no one will be considered legally liable because the recourse taken by the operator will yield only . United states of America has a law on liability-related issues for all non-military nuclear facilities constructed in the United States before 2026 named Price–Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act. This American Act establishes a no fault insurance-type system in which the first $10 billion is industry-funded as described in the Act (any claims above the $10 billion would be covered by the federal government).
Debate
Debate on nuclear powerNuclear power debate
The nuclear power debate is about the controversy which has surrounded the deployment and use of nuclear fission reactors to generate electricity from nuclear fuel for civilian purposes...
project at Jaitapur is ongoing on various levels. Environmental effects of nuclear power
Environmental effects of nuclear power
The environmental impact of nuclear power results from the nuclear fuel cycle, operation, and the effects of nuclear accidents.The routine health risks and greenhouse gas emissions from nuclear fission power are small relative to those associated with coal, but there are "catastrophic risks": the...
and geological issues have been raised by anti nuclear activists of India against this power project. Even though The Government of Maharashtra
Government of Maharashtra
Government of Maharashtra is the government for the state of Maharashtra in Western India.It is an elected government with 288 MLAs elected to the legislative assembly for a 5 year term.-Ministers:...
state completed land acquisition in January 2010, only 33 out of the 2,335 villagers have accepted compensation cheques as of November 2010.
A public hearing on the environmental impact asessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
(EIA) Report, prepared by NEERI was conducted by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board
The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board implements a range of environmental legislation in the state of Maharashtra, India...
, on behalf of Ministry of Environment and Forests on 16 April 2010, at the plant site. The public hearing became controversial as the EIA report was not delivered for study to 3 of the 4 Gram panchayat
Gram panchayat
Gram panchayats are local self-governments at the village or small town level in India. As of 2002 there were about 265,000 gram panchayats in India. The gram panchayat is the foundation of the Panchayat System. A gram panchayat can be set up in villages with minimum population of 300...
(local village bodies) a month in advance.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has also been filed against the government’s civil nuclear program at the apex Supreme Court. The PIL specifically asks for the "staying of all proposed nuclear power plants till satisfactory safety measures and cost-benefit analyses are completed by independent agencies".
Opponents
Since Jaitapur being seismicallySeismology
Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
sensitive area, the danger of an earthquake has been foremost on the minds of people. According to the Earthquake hazard zoning of India
Earthquake hazard zoning of India
The Indian subcontinent has a history of devastating earthquakes. The major reason for the high frequency and intensity of the earthquakes is that India is driving into Asia at a rate of approximately 47 mm/year. Geographical statistics of India show that almost 54% of the land is vulnerable...
, Jaitapur comes under Zone III. This zone is called the moderate Risk Zone and covers areas liable to MSK VIII
Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik scale
The Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik scale, also known as the MSK or MSK-64, is a macroseismic intensity scale used to evaluate the severity of ground shaking on the basis of observed effects in an area of the earthquake occurrence....
. The presence of two major creeks on the proposed site has been ignored while clearing the site. Post the Chernobyl disaster
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine , which was under the direct jurisdiction of the central authorities in Moscow...
and the Three Mile Island accident
Three Mile Island accident
The Three Mile Island accident was a core meltdown in Unit 2 of the Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania near Harrisburg, United States in 1979....
,environmentalists, citizens of the area and the people world over are questioning about safety, as when in 2007 the largest nuclear generating station in the world Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant
The is a large, modern nuclear power plant on a 4.2-square-kilometer site including land in the towns of Kashiwazaki and Kariwa in Niigata Prefecture, Japan on the coast of the Sea of Japan, from where it gets cooling water...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
at the Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant
Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant
The is a nuclear power plant located on a 1,730,000 m2 site in Onagawa in the Oshika District and Ishinomaki city, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It is managed by the Tohoku Electric Power Company...
was closed for five months following an earthquake.
The probability of a tsunami, and the damage thereof, has not been taken into account while clearing the site Nevertheless probability of a tsunami on the Arabian Sea coast is very low due to the lack of seismic activity in the ocean.Moreover jaitapur is located on plateau probablity of tsunami reaching jaitapur is quite less
It is not clear where the nuclear waste
High-level radioactive waste management
High-level radioactive waste management concerns management and disposal of highly radioactive materials created during production of nuclear power and nuclear warheads. The technical issues in accomplishing this are daunting, due to the extremely long periods radioactive wastes remain deadly to...
emanating from the site will be dumped. The plant is estimated to generate 300 tonnes of waste each year. EPR waste will have about four times as much radioactive Bromine
Bromine
Bromine ") is a chemical element with the symbol Br, an atomic number of 35, and an atomic mass of 79.904. It is in the halogen element group. The element was isolated independently by two chemists, Carl Jacob Löwig and Antoine Jerome Balard, in 1825–1826...
, Iodine
Iodine-131
Iodine-131 , also called radioiodine , is an important radioisotope of iodine. It has a radioactive decay half-life of about eight days. Its uses are mostly medical and pharmaceutical...
, Caesium
Caesium-137
Caesium-137 is a radioactive isotope of caesium which is formed as a fission product by nuclear fission.It has a half-life of about 30.17 years, and decays by beta emission to a metastable nuclear isomer of barium-137: barium-137m . Caesium-137 is a radioactive isotope of caesium which is formed...
, etc, compared to ordinary pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactor
Pressurized water reactors constitute a large majority of all western nuclear power plants and are one of three types of light water reactor , the other types being boiling water reactors and supercritical water reactors...
.
Since the plant will use the sea water for cooling and then release warm water in the Arabian Sea, fishermen in villages around are predicting destruction of fisheries in the nearby sea. Media articles also highlight the possible human and fisheries cost of this project
Social impact assessment review of the project are being conducted by the Jamsetji Tata
Jamsetji Tata
Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata was an Indian entrepreneur and industrialist, prominent for his pioneering work in Indian industry. He was born to a Parsi family in Navsari, Gujarat, India....
centre for disaster management of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Tata Institute of Social Sciences
Tata Institute of Social Sciences is a social sciences institute based in Deonar, Mumbai, India.-History:TISS was established in 1936, as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work, the first school of social work in India. In 1944 the school was renamed to its current name...
(TISS). According to this report, the Government of India is not fully transparent with its own citizens. The government is hiding facts about huge negative impact on the social and environmental development of the Konkan
Konkan
The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
region in general and the government also manipulating notification of the area from high severity earthquake zone to moderate seismic
Seismology
Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or through other planet-like bodies. The field also includes studies of earthquake effects, such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, oceanic,...
severity zone.
Proponents
Proponents are advocating the Jaitapur Project as safe, environmentally benign and economically viable source of electrical energy to meet the increasing electricity needs of India. They believe that nuclear power is a sustainable energySustainable energy
Sustainable energy is the provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources include all renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal...
source that reduces carbon emissions and increases energy security
Energy security
Energy security is a term for an association between national security and the availability of natural resources for energy consumption. Access to cheap energy has become essential to the functioning of modern economies. However, the uneven distribution of energy supplies among countries has led...
by decreasing India's dependence on foreign oil. The promoter of Jaitapur project is Nuclear Power Corporation of India
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is a government-owned corporation of India based in Mumbai. One of the public sector undertakings, it is wholly owned by the Union Government and is responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. NPCIL is administered by the...
. It is a public Sector Enterprise
Government-owned corporation
A government-owned corporation, state-owned company, state-owned entity, state enterprise, publicly owned corporation, government business enterprise, or parastatal is a legal entity created by a government to undertake commercial activities on behalf of an owner government...
under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (India)
Department of Atomic Energy (India)
The Department of Atomic Energy is a department directly under the Prime Minister of India with headquartered in Mumbai. The department is responsible for nuclear technology, including nuclear power and research....
.
I know the environmentalists will not be very happy with my decision, but it is foolish romance to think that India can attain high growth rate and sustain the energy needs of a 1.2 billion population with the help of solar, wind, biogas and such other forms of energy. It is paradoxical that environmentalists are against nuclear energy.
As of 2010 India is on the sixth in rank of an elite club of nations, after USA, France, Japan, the Russian Federation and the Republic of Korea, to have twenty or more nuclear power reactors in operation. The company is currently operating 20 nuclear power plants at six locations in India and is implementing construction of 7 reactors at four locations. In 2009/10 company has generated 18831 million units of electricity.
According to former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission
Atomic Energy Commission of India
The Atomic Energy Commission is a governing body functioning under the Department of Atomic Energy , Government of India. The DAE is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister.- History :...
Anil Kakodkar
Anil Kakodkar
Anil Kakodkar is an eminent Indian nuclear scientist and mechanical engineer. He was the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India and the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy. Before leading India's Nuclear Programme, he was the Director of the Bhabha Atomic...
, the Jaitapur site is the best as it fulfilled the technical and scientific norms needed for a nuclear power plant. It is proposed that the waste generated at the this nuclear power plant be recycled. Only five per cent of it would be encapsulated and stored at technologically advanced places. It will not be buried anywhere. The waste will be stored for the next 30 to 40 years, till scientists develop some technology to treat it.
The environmental impact assessment
Environmental impact assessment
An environmental impact assessment is an assessment of the possible positive or negative impact that a proposed project may have on the environment, together consisting of the natural, social and economic aspects....
and other associated studies of the Jaitapur project have been carried out in detail over the last few years by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI)
National Environmental Engineering Research Institute
The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute is a research institute created and funded by Government of India. It was established in Nagpur in 1958 with focus on water supply, sewage disposal, communicable diseases and to some extent on industrial pollution and occupational diseases...
, Nagpur
Nagpur
Nāgpur is a city and winter capital of the state of Maharashtra, the largest city in central India and third largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune...
in collaboration with several other reputed organizations specializing in specific environment studies.
These studies include Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is India's primary nuclear research facility based in Mumbai. It has a number of nuclear reactors, all of which are used for India's nuclear power and research programme.- History :...
Pre-operational Baseline Radiological Survey of the Area around JNPP Site, Central Water and Power Research Station Pune, Thermal Dispersion Studies for Condenser Cooling Water (CCW) Discharges, Konkan Krishi Vidyapith
Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth
Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth is an agricultural university at Dapoli in Ratnagiri district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was established on May 18, 1972 as Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, and got its present name on February 12, 2001. Its research centre at Karjat has developed...
, College of Forestry, Dapoli
College of Forestry, Dapoli
The College of Forestry, Dapoli was established on 1 August 2005 with in Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Ratnagiri District Maharashtra....
, Baseline Biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
Study of the area around JNPP Site.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is a government-owned corporation of India based in Mumbai. One of the public sector undertakings, it is wholly owned by the Union Government and is responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. NPCIL is administered by the...
has adopted a corporate social responsibility policy, by which 1.5 to 2 per cent of the net profit from Jaitapur plant would be spent in that area only. Development projects will be decided by local people and NPC will provide the funds to ensure development of these areas.
Protests
Many protests have been carried out by local people against the proposed nuclear power plant. On 29 December 2009, 12 January 2010, and 22 January 2010, when the government authorities visited Madban for distribution of cheques in lieu of compulsory land acquisition, the villagers refused to accept the cheques. Government officials were shown black flags, denied any co-operation in carrying out their activities. 72 people were arrested on 22 January 2010 when people protested against the compulsory land acquisition.On December 4, 2010, protests became violent when over 1500 people were detained from among thousands of protesters, who included environmentalists and local villagers. Members and leaders of the Konkan Bachao Samiti (KBS) and the Janahit Seva Samiti (organizations that are spearheading opposition to the project) were also detained. In Mumbai, members of various trade unions and social organizations came together to protest against the project. The protesters have raised serious doubts about the neutrality of the Environment Impact Assessment Report, prepared by National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) which forms the basis of environmental clearance for the project, since parallel studies by the Bombay Natural History Society
Bombay Natural History Society
The Bombay Natural History Society, founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research. It supports many research efforts through grants, and publishes the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. Many...
have shown that the project will cause substantial environmental damage.
On April 18, 2011, one man was shot and killed by police and eight were injured after protests against the plant turned violent.
Events
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| November 28, 2010 | India, France N-regulatory bodies meet on EPR safety issues |
| November 28, 2010 | Conditional environmental clearance |
| December 06, 2010 | Agreement signed with Areva for the construction of first set of two reactors |
| March 14, 2011 | Legislators and Ministers repeatedly caught on camera napping through the lectures of former Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar, in Maharashtra Assembly. |
| March 16, 2011 | Safety at Jaitapur not my responsibility: Jairam Ramesh |
| March 19, 2011 | India must learn from Japan's calamity and review all the planned nuclear projects in the country.: Former president of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. |
See also
- Nuclear renaissanceNuclear renaissanceSince about 2001 the term nuclear renaissance has been used to refer to a possible nuclear power industry revival, driven by rising fossil fuel prices and new concerns about meeting greenhouse gas emission limits. At the same time, various barriers to a nuclear renaissance have been identified...
- Generation IV reactorGeneration IV reactorGeneration IV reactors are a set of theoretical nuclear reactor designs currently being researched. Most of these designs are generally not expected to be available for commercial construction before 2030...
- Economics of new nuclear power plantsEconomics of new nuclear power plantsThe economics of new nuclear power plants is a controversial subject, since there are diverging views on this topic, and multi-billion dollar investments ride on the choice of an energy source...
- Energy policy of IndiaEnergy policy of IndiaThe energy policy of India is largely defined by the country's burgeoning energy deficit and increased focus on developing alternative sources of energy, particularly nuclear, solar and wind energy....
- Nuclear power in IndiaNuclear power in IndiaNuclear power is the fourth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydroelectric and renewable sources of electricity. As of 2010, India has 20 nuclear reactors in operation in six nuclear power plants, generating 4,780 MW while seven other reactors are under construction and...
External links
- Data sheet and people protests Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project
- Resisting Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project
- Nuclear Power Corporation of India (official site)