| ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT OF NUCLEAR POWER AND
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| | tonnes of Thorium in the coastal plains,
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| PUBLIC ACCEPTANCEINTRODUCTIONAs we stand
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| | of Orissa and Kerala. These deposits were
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| at the threshold of third millennium, the
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| | sufficient to generate 3.5 lakhs MW power
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| demand for energy in our country has
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| | at cheap rates for 3 00 years, while
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| accelerated at 10percent per year, due to
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| | causing much less pollution. The need for
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| population explosion as well economic
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| | producing nuclear power has also to be
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| liberalisation leading to rapid
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| | seen in the backdrop of the fact that oil
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| Industrialisation. It is true the per
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| | resources are becoming scarce and coal
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| capita consumption of power is a clear
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| | reserve in our country will last for
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| index on the quality of life and our
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| | another 150 years. Higher coal, oil/Gas
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| country has to go a longway to match with
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| | prices will quickly undermine its
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| those of developed countries, where the
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| | competitiveness, while nuclear power
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| per capita energy consumption is 8 to 10
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| | generation costs are quite stable over a
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| times of our country. For the next 50
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| | wide range of fuel price scenarios.It is
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| years, Hydel, Thermal, Nuclear are the
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| | established the nuclear power is
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| three major energy options) whereas the
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| | advantageous particularly in those parts
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| Non-conventional/Renewable energy sources
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| | of the country, where hydel sources are
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| such as Biomass, Biogas, Solar energy,
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| | scarce and which are far away from the
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| Wind energy, Tidal wave and Geo-Thermal
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| | coal fields, like southern and western
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| energy will not contribute significantly
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| | parts of our country.Our country has coal
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| to the energy needs. Compared to the
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| | reserves but to reach energy usage levels
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| installed capacity of 86,440 MW in 1997,
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| | comparable with global average, it is
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| the projected need will be 2,36,940 MW by
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| | necessary to use all energy sources
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| 2012.MAJOR ENERGY OPTIONSHydro power is a
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| | particularly the nuclear power, which
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| renewable, economic, non-polluting and
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| | could be a source of cheap energy. The
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| environmentally benign source of energy.
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| | capital cost of the nuclear power is
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| Only 15% of Hydroelectric potential has
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| | undoubtedly more, but the electricity
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| been harnessed and 7% is under various
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| | produced from it is cheap. As a
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| stages of development. Thus 78% of the
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| | developing nation, our country has an
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| potential remains without exploitation.
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| | important option to tap nuclear energy as
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| This is mainly due to capital intensive
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| | a source of cheap energy, since the
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| nature, long gestation period, concern on
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| | country requires the cheapest energy that
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| inundation of forest lands,
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| | it can get.In the context of entire coal
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| Rehabilitation of large populations and
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| | reserve in our country will be depleted
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| upsetting the ecological balance, which
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| | in 150 years, the coal price is going up
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| all have combined to decelerate the Hydel
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| | at 15% per annum and high ash content of
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| sector.Thermal fuel combustion causes the
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| | 45% in indigenous coal which requires
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| atmospheric release of large quantities
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| | vast land for Ash disposal, option is
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| of Nitrogen, Sulphur Dioxide, Carbon
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| | converging on Nuclear Power.The Nuclear
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| dioxide and particulate matter and hence
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| | reactors are having the distinction of
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| serious environmental impacts at local
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| | continuous run even for a year once put
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| and global levels. As per the energy
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| | on bar, whereas Thermal Generators may
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| experts statement, a 600 MW capacity
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| | need intermittent attention.Critics of
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| pulverised coal plants, on an average
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| | Defence Nuclear Programme, often club the
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| will release about 35,500 tonnes of
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| | civil Nuclear and Defense Nuclear as
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| Sulphur dioxide, 11,700 tonnes of
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| | 'Siamese Twins' but that is not a fact.
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| Nitrogen Oxide, 780 tonnes of
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| | Nuclear energy is a safe, environmentally
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| particulate, 12.50 lakh tonnes of Carbon
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| | benign and viable option.High capital
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| and 148 tonnes of heavy metal including
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| | cost and long lead time undermine the
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| radioactive nuclides such as Uranium and
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| | competitiveness of Nuclear Power. As it
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| Thorium over two decades. Flue gas
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| | takes nearly 8 years to complete the
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| desulfurisation and de-noxing equipment
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| | Nuclear power project, the interest rates
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| or more highly efficient plants would
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| | on capital cost has to be at the lowest.
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| reduce emission of the oxides, but these
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| | At 5'0/o- interest rate, it is having an
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| abatement measures do incur cost
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| | edge over fossil fuel based Thermal power
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| penalties upto 25% tilting the cost
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| | and above 5% it loses its competitive
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| balance to nuclear energy option. Apart
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| | edge. Even efforts have been made to
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| from the cost factor, the threat of Acid
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| | reduce the gestation period by 18 months.
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| rain, depletion of Ozone layer and Green
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| | More severe safety and radiation
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| house effect due to fossil fuel
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| | protection standards have further added
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| combustion, narrow down the choice to
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| | to the capital cost. The Home grown
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| Nuclear energy.The enormous power dormant
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| | pressurised Heavy Water reactors could be
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| in the atom was the single most important
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| | at least 40% cheaper than what they are
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| discovery of the 20th century. The
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| | if measures such as double containment
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| development of Nuclear power world over
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| | protection around the reactor vessel
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| has been rapid and France meets more than
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| | built in extra redundancy are done away
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| 50% energy demands from Nuclear power.
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| | with. The Nuclear power may be made
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| In our country, 10 Nuclear reactors
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| | economical by going in for 'Closed
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| generating a total capacity of 1840 MW
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| | Nuclear Power Cycle' by extracting
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| contribute only 2.5% of total energy
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| | Plutonium from spent fuel. Hence the
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| demand.NUCLEAR ENERGY
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| | reactors on drawing Boards are expected
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| DEVELOPMENTAccording to NPC, 78000 tonnes
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| | to have shorter construction time, lower
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| of Uranium deposits were found in
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| | capital cost, improved cycle efficiency.
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| Singhbhum (Dt) in Bihar and 3.6 lakh
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