India -nuclear energy

India -nuclear energy

Nuclear power is fourth -largest source of electrical  energy after thermal, hydro, and renewable sources of electricity .As 2010 India has 20 nuclear power plants generating 4,560 MW , while 4 other nuclear power plants under construction and more expected to generate an additional 2720 MW. India nuclear industry is undergoing rapid expansion with plan to increase nuclear out put to 63,000 MW by 2032. The country is involved in the development of nuclear fission reactors though its participation ITER  projects and global leader in development of thorium based fast breeder reactors.

India has already been using imported enriched uranium and are currently International  Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safe guards, but it has developed various aspects of nuclear fuel cycle to support its nuclear reactors . Use of heavy water reactor have been particularly attractive for the nation because it allows uranium to be burnt with little  or no enrichment capability .India has also done a great amount of work in development of thorium centered fuel cycle. Experiments  are going on for developing thorium based reactors.

India is already committed to spending about 177 million dollars till the end of present 5 year plan period ending March 2012 for further exploration of uranium resources in addition to the present capacity.

There are also clear signs  that the government of India so also its China counter part, will do their utmost to lay their hands on uranium, wherever and whatever form available.

Recently just before retirement the then chairman of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and very well known figure in India’s energy circles, Anil Kakodkar has  said publicly that rejuvenation of India’s  nuclear power program-me should make it necessary to continue efforts to establish newer deposits and exploitation of uranium to meet the indigenous  nuclear power program demands of the future.

India is Asia’s’ 3rd largest energy consumer and its needs  for uranium is predicted to increase 10 fold by 2020. India will need about 8000 tonnes  of uranium annually , according to Jagadeep Ghai finance director at NPCIL (nuclear power corporation of India).   A

Needing additional 1500-2000 tonnes of uranium each year to raise the share of nuclear energy, India nuclear market has been projected to grow around 40 billion dollars by 2020.

Currently India produces only about 450 tonnes of uranium from Jharkhand state from six mines.

Beside Jharkhand in 2005 and 2006 plans were announced to invest almost 7000 million dollars to open further mines the state of Meghalaya at Domiasiat- Mawthabah  and Andhra Pradesh at Lambapur- Peddagutta. In Andhra Pradesh there are three kinds of uranium mineralization in Cuddapah basin, and related deposits in north of it.

Now India has flourishing and largely indigenous nuclear power program and expects to have 20,000 MW nuclear energy capacity on line by 2020. It aims to supply 25 per cent of its electricity from nuclear power by 2050

Due to trade bans and lack of indigenous uranium India has uniquely been developing a nuclear fuel to exploit its reserves of thorium.

Now foreign technology and fuel are  expected to boost India’s  nuclear power plans considerably. All plants will have high indigenous engineering content.

India has vision of becoming a world leader in nuclear technology due to its expertise in the fast reactors and thorium fuel cycles.

Electricity demand in India  is increased rapidly as 830 billion Kilo watt hours produced in 2008 and was triple the 1990 out put. Though still represented only some 700kwh per ca-pita in India for year, with transmission losses, this result in only 591 billion kwh consumption. Coal provides 68 per cent of electricity at present, but reserves are limited . Gas provides 8 per cent and hydro provides 14 percent electricity in total power production. The per ca-pita electricity consumption figure is expected to double by 2020,with 63 percent annual growth and reach 5000-6000 kwh  by 2050

Nuclear power supplied 15.8 billion Kwh (2.5 per cent) of India electricity in 2007 from 3.7 Gwe (110GWE  total )capacity and dip in 2008-2009 this will increase steadily as imported uranium become available and now plants  come online. In the year March  2010, 22 billion Kwh was forecast and for the year 2010-2011, 32 billion Kwh is now forecast. Some 300 reactor -years of operation, had been achieved by mid 2009. India fuel situation, with short of fossil fuels, is driving nuclear investment for electricity as 25 per cent nuclear contribution fore seen by 2050. When 1094 Gwe of base load capacity to be required . At most  as much investment with grid system as power plants is necessary.

India plan to invest 150 billion U.S. dollars on power infrastructure over five years including transmission and distribution . It said that T&D  were 30-40 percent worth more than 6 billion dollars per year . Actual average India T&D loses are about 22 per cent at present.

The target to provide nuclear power 20,000 MW by 2020. The prime Minster 2007 referred to this  as  a modest and capable being doubled with opening up international co-operation. However target can achieved  if we get substantial quantity of uranium.

Following constraints for achieving targeted nuclear power

The signing of convention on supplementary compensation for nuclear damage (CSC0 by India  wrapped up last leg of its commitment arising from nuclear partnership with U.S. Last few years  have been spent in mostly sorting out legal formalities and procedures issues relating governing this partnership.

The inking of CSC broadly set ball rolling for U.S. nuclear vendors to commence actual engagement in India. However U.S. vendors like  Westinghouse  (Toshiba )  and GE- Hitachi yet to start negotiations . NPCIL should lead in solving problems relating to  nuclear liability bill.

NPCIL speed up Jaithapur  nuclear project as environmental clearance has been received, since AREVA has signed  agreement to set up 2 reactors of 1600 MW each . Necessary clarifications regarding nuclear liability bill and arrangement of finances  to be sorted out early start of this project construction.

India to speed up construction of  2 nos of VVER -1000 reactors (light water )  with RUSSIA assistance in KUNDANKKULAM  as these supplies are not associated with India latest nuclear liability bill.

India  to sign nuclear agreement with Japan since  JAPAN  vendors Toshiba and Hitachi are associated with supply reactors with Westinghouse and GE.

Long  term supply of enriched uranium supply  along with nuclear reactor supply should be negotiated with vendors for availability enriched uranium as most plants proposed are based on  light water reactors technology.

NPCIL to convince Russia to set up more reactors  at proposed sight ( west Bengal or Haryana)  after convincing or renegotiating nuclear liability bill as Russia as  shown little interest in setting up new nuclear power projects.

NPCIL should convince Toshiba and GE  to set up at proposed sites in India after clarifying on nuke liability bill.

NPCIL should increase share of nuclear power   from heavy water reactors (Pressurized heavy water reactors) as  2800 MW  of nuclear power expected to be added by 2020.