India has been actively pursuing an ambitious growth trajectory in alternative source-based energy generation with the aim to significantly reduce its total carbon emissions.
One of these was to increase production of nuclear power three times more than the current levels by 2031, thus reducing our reliance on carbon-emitting thermal power.
Challenges and Concerns
Among the first challenge of nuclear power generation are accidents leading to harm to humans and the ecology.
The second challenge is raw materials such as uranium, etc. The discovery of a uranium mine in Andhra Pradesh along with the country’s economically extractable thorium base could partly address India’s raw material crisis for generating nuclear energy.
Another area of growing concern is nuclear waste produced at different stages of energy generation.
Costs and benefits of nuclear power generation are at times assessed without incorporating the social, economic and environmental concerns of local people and ecology.
Government’s Stand
The Government has planned to increase the installed capacity base of nuclear power in the country for increased electricity production from nuclear power.
The present installed nuclear power capacity of 6780 MW would reach 13480 MW by the year 2024-25 with the completion of projects under construction (including 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), being implemented by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (BHAVINI).
The Government has also accorded administrative approval and financial sanction for 12 nuclear power reactors aggregating a total capacity of 9000 MW, which are scheduled to be completed progressively by the year 2031.
