Summit sets new goals, including nuke forensics and security of spent fuel, IT systems
Acknowledging the negative impact the Fukushima disaster has had on the acceptability of atomic power, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told a gathering of world leaders here on Tuesday that the synergy between the “highest standards of safety and security… is essential to restore public faith in nuclear energy”.
Download graphic: Ten steps to thwart nuclear terrorism
In a statement to the plenary of the Nuclear Security Summit—which was attended by 53 countries and five international organizations—Dr. Singh underlined India’s responsible citizenship of a nuclear world and backed the modest expansion of the scope of international cooperation that the Seoul meeting has agreed to: minimization of High Enriched Uranium for civilian purposes, improved nuclear forensics to help determine the origin of detected nuclear material and thus pin responsibility on the originating state, greater information and transport security and preventing nuclear trafficking.
“Nuclear security is primarily a national responsibility but there are benefits to be gained by supplementing responsible national actions through sustained and effective international cooperation,” he said.
The six-page Seoul Communique released at the end of the summit outlined several other areas for action, including security of radioactive sources that terrorists could use to make ‘dirty bombs’, incorporating security features in nuclear plant design and ensuring terrorists are not able to disrupt information-technology based control systems at nuclear facilities.
Making a virtue out of necessity, India’s “National Progress Report” cited the use of an indigenous core in the APSARA reactor and the shifting of its original French fuel to a safeguarded facility as a step aimed at “minimization of use of civilian HEU”. In fact, the transfer was required under the terms of the Indo-US nuclear deal of 2005. The Indian report, which was presented to the nuclear summit, also noted there was growing demand for large-scale production of isotopes for healthcare, industrial and food-related uses—an indication that India would oppose any scaling back of civilian applications of nuclear technology should the issue arise in a future security summit.
In his statement, the Prime Minister pledged one million US dollars towards the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Nuclear Security Fund for 2012-13 and urged all countries to accede to key international treaties on nuclear security. These include the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and the Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, and its 2005 amendment which obliges states to protect nuclear material in domestic use and all peaceful nuclear facilities.
The National Progress Report also cited the bill for the “establishment of an independent Nuclear Safety Regulatory Authority which will enhance oversight of nuclear security and strengthen synergy between safety and security.”
The meshing of these two functions has already attracted criticism in India with some analysts advocating that the proposed NSRA not be burdened with responsibility for security. DAE officials say the proposal is only for NSRA to oversee security considerations within the four walls of nuclear plants and not outside.
Though the NSS agenda is limited to security, Prime Minister Singh said the best guarantee for nuclear security is a world free of nuclear weapons. This goal requires “commitments embedded in an agreed multilateral framework involving all states possessing nuclear weapons,” as well as “universal restraints on the first use of nuclear weapons” in the interim.
Keywords: Fukushima disaster, atomic power, nuclear safety
The issues regarding the risks associated with -- 1. aged reactors has to be taken seriously because they use HEU as fuels,either they should be made to close down or make a switch over to LEU 2. Countries esp. some s.e. asian states that are involved in nuclear power fuel cycles has to consider responsibly the safety and security of their reprocessing plants because a lot of plutonium is produced as a result of reprocessing which can be used in weapons may trigger unwarranted attention from criminals, also the highly radioactive materials produced in the process requires some serious procedures like transportation.In fact even before the chernobyl incident,an accident in the 1950s had taken place at a reprocessing facility in the USSR releasing radio active material into the environment. 3.Research reactors located in urban atmosphere with no buffer zones and bad security poses real threats. 4.A white paper on 'criticality accidents' in all civilian nuclear facilities is needed.
A country's foremost responsibility in the establishment of its nuclear program is to instal and develop a national infrastructure for proper legal and regulatory framework regarding various aspects of safety and security that involves internationally approved safety features, nuanced training,responsible management culture involving operators,regulators and government functionaries, embedded security features in plant design,state-of-art safety systems that can enhance security, top notch disaster management system, sound financial resources etc. Corruption,complacency,insensitivity to local issues,lack of co-ordination between gov,regulators and the industry are a strict no,no and confusion regarding liability laws & accountability etc should be set right.
What happened in japan last year was the consequence of a natural disaster.We should look forward to tame nuclear energy for constructive purposes.
There is many a slip between the cup and the lip is a phrase that aptly describes India's commitment to various international agreements. While we make tall claims on every front trying to project ourselves as progressive, scientific and in the lead on these fronts, the situation on the ground almost always turns out to be starkly different. The PM's statement should therefore be taken with lot more than a pinch of salt. In this light, let us just remind ourselves that on safety of nuclear materials has any progress been made after the media expose on nuclear material from various labs in the country reaching waste dealers? The answer is the all too familiar negative.
The gusto with which we are pushing N-energy as the answer to the insatiable consumption needs of Indian consumer and the greed of nuclear industry, has no commitment to safety other than the assurances of a section of the scientific community and same inefficient and corrupt govt. servants.
@Sourabh, Nuclear plant is not like airplane. Airplane crash would just affect the people traveling on that airplane that too just at that specific instant of crash. But any nuclear plant disaster could potentially affect millions of people over several generations for several years. If you can explore a bit about the Bhopal tragedy you would find that it is certainly not the same as an airplane crash. Nuclear plant tragedy could be much bigger than even the Bhopal tragedy.
There is need of hour to implement nuclear projects to meet the energy demands but have to make sure that these projects will be running with fullproof safety.
Since the Hindu is going on persisting in publishing pronuke letters which are not factual and in fact are unscientific let me put the facts as derived by me from data: Energy audit of nuclear power programmes have uniformly revealed that from year to year nuclear programs consume much more than they produce; this much more has to come from coal fired stations. This will go on therefore forever. The unthinking Indians like the PM with his foreign hand will therefore put extra nukes to be made and this will consume more coal, thus the program will forever be a consumer of coal and nuke power and society will get nothing. The cost of nuclear electricity per unit is thus infinity. See energy audit of the indian nuclear programme at my profile by google search for Ramaswami Ashok Kumar
This is poisoning the genes of all life and even future generations are adversely affected. But they are not here to vote no. This is nuclear war on life and nuclear terrorism. Stop it and go normal sunny!
Manmohan Singh has agreed that the nuclear reactor is not secure on the basis of Fukushimo reator leak in Japan. he afraid of getting nuclear weapon in the hands of terrorist. But he has not worried about the disposal of the nuclear waste. why? all the persons has vested interest in everything. nuclear specialist expressed their concern that very limited quantity energy only will get through the reator, again our PM is behind this nuclear energy. what ever may the consequences, future generation is suffering.
The fears of people protesting at Kundakulam needs to be alleviated with hard core facts.The reactors at Kundakulam are third generation nuclear reactors with one of the best safety systems of the world comparing them with Fukushima reactors which were first generation one's doesn't make sense.Even in Japan where the Fukushima disaster took place where nature's fury was at its best,the amount of casualty caused was relatively small.All it needs is pragmatism to see the pros and cons of nuclear power vi-a-vis thermal power that is contributing a significant chunk of our power supply but is a cause of global warming and impure air in our surrounding.India needs a energy basket that is clean,sustainable,eco-friendly and diversified in order to feed its growing economy,and nuclear power is one the ways to realise this goal.
It will be helpful to remind ourselves that the nuclear power capacity in the country is just 2.5% of total installed capacity despite massive investment in the sector since independence. Capital costs are the highest; safety and health issues are serious; precautionary advises from Mikhail Gorbachev, recently resigned Japanese Prime Minister, former AERB Chairman, and many others cannot be ignored. Germany's decision to move away from nuclear power, and Japan's decision to reduce its reliance on nuclear power have been taken with due diligence. We should question why not many nuclear power reactors are being built in the West?
Why have we not considered much better alternatives in India? Existing power sector can provide about 40% more power through efficiency measures. Amongst renewable sources roof top solar panels alone can meet most of electricity requirements.
Shall we not look for least cost options without compromising the welfare of or overlooking concerns of any section?
Agreed with Anand. The way some are reacting on the Kudankulam is more like - "Airplane crashed in Japan, lets not travel in India or any other place". Thats not a good or healthy reason to avoid nuclear power plant. Else, one should avoid each and every modern amenity that harms a human including breathing as it generates CO2. Be rational in opposing anything else clear the path for progress rather than being a hurdle - the way some are doing in TN. I fully support Indian government for Kudankulam.
What is driving the Kudankulam protests is wildly irrational fear: the Kudankulam project must be commissioned at the earliest to ameliorate the terrible power situation in the Southern States.
Given that post Fukushima 'public faith in the safety .. of nuclear plants' is still very contentious to the locals most affected, the PM should show his purpose by putting on hold the deployment of the Kudankulam reactors while the further safety features needed become the study of international peace organizations most concerned with the dangers to nuclear safety.In contrast the DAE has brought out experts who are employees of the DAE. The first priority should be to hold off on commissioning Kudankulam and allow the protestors to return to their homes and resume their daily lives without any fears.
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