The government’s proposal to set up 10 nuclear reactors indigenously looks very grand and ambitious in its scope but is nevertheless achievable (“Cabinet gives nod for 10 indigenous nuclear reactors.” May 18). Achieving self-sufficiency in the production of nuclear power has been the Holy Grail of India’s nuclear establishment. Our scientists had to work against heavy odds like international sanctions and denial of technology by the West. Since India has been admitted to the nuclear high table thanks to the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, it makes sense to nudge the domestic industry to realise its potential. There is no reason why the nuclear community cannot rise to the occasion and emulate the successes of the space industry which also has had to face protracted spells of international non-cooperation.
India’s nuclear quest runs contrary to the global pushback against nuclear power. Safety concerns about nuclear power plants persist and the government has to ensure the adherence to strict safety standards in the design, building and operations of the proposed reactors. The conflict of interest in having the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, a government body, overseeing the public sector nuclear power plants will have to be resolved.
Time and cost overruns have been the norm in the setting up of nuclear power plants so far. It remains to be seen whether the proposed plants will buck this trend and will be operationalised within a time frame.
V.N. Mukundarajan,
Thiruvananthapuram
