KUDANKULAM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT – S & T
News: Russia offers advanced nuclear fuel to extend Kudankulam reactor cycle from 18 months to 2 years
What's in the news?
● The Russian state-owned nuclear energy corporation Rosatom has offered a more advanced fuel option to India’s largest nuclear power station at Kudankulam, which will allow its reactors to run for an extended two-year cycle without stopping to load fresh fuel.
KUDANKULAM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT (KKNPP):
● KKNPP
is the single largest nuclear power
station in India.
● It
is situated in Koodankulam in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
● It
is scheduled to have six VVER-1000
reactors with an installed capacity of 6,000 MW of electricity.
● It
has been built in collaboration with Atomstroyexport, the Russian state company
and NPCIL.
● Unit
1 and 2 have started generating electricity.
● Unit 3 and 4 are under construction.
India's Nuclear Program:
● India's
nuclear programme can trace its origins to 1944 and its efforts in 3 stage
technology were established by Homi Jehangir Bhabha when he founded the nuclear
research center, the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.
● Today,
India has 23 nuclear reactors in operation in 7 nuclear power plants, with a
total installed capacity of 7,480 MW.
● Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is the largest nuclear power station in India, situated in Tamil Nadu.
India’s Nuclear Share:
● The
present installed nuclear power capacity in the country is 6780 MW.
● The
share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country is
about 1% in the year 2020-21.
● The present nuclear power capacity of 6780 MW is planned to be increased to 22480 MW by 2031 on progressive completion of projects.
Importance of Nuclear Energy:
1. Thorium and Uranium reserves:
● India
has vast reserves of Thorium that can fuel India’s nuclear energy provided
appropriate technology. India’s thorium deposits, estimated at 360,000 tonnes,
and natural uranium deposits at 70,000 tonnes.
● The
country’s thorium reserves make up 25%
of the global reserves.
2. Energy poverty:
● Although
India is the 3rd largest producer of electricity, about 20% of the population
of the country does not have access to electricity today.
● The
per capita consumption of electricity is very low at about 1,181 kWh per annum,
about half of the world average and way below that of advanced countries.
● There
exist shortages in energy and peak power in the range 10-15%.
3. Energy demand:
● Nuclear
energy is a critical part for India’s future energy security.
● As
we know India’s annual energy demand is expected to rise to 800 GW by 2032, it is very important to
consider every source of energy in the optimum energy mix.
4. Energy efficiency:
● Quantities
of nuclear fuel needed are considerably less than thermal power plants.
● For
instance, 10000 MW generation by coal will need 30-35 million tons of coal, but
nuclear fuel needed will be only 300-350 tons.
5. Economic growth:
● Rapid
economic growth is also critical to achieve developmental objectives and
poverty alleviation.
● A
sustained economic growth of about 8 to 10% is needed over the next few
decades.
● As
electricity is a key driver for economic growth, it is necessary that there is
a massive augmentation in electricity capacity, apart from transmissions and
distribution systems.
6. Decrease in Energy Supply:
● Energy
supply has been negatively affected by changing weather patterns.
● As
water reservoirs decrease due to lower precipitation and increased evaporation,
capacity for electricity production from hydropower and other water-intensive
generation technologies may decline.
7. Climate change:
● Due
to its emission-free nature, nuclear energy can contribute to global efforts under
the Paris Agreement.
● India’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has outlined goals to reduce the carbon emissions intensity of its economy by 45% by 2030 as well as increase the clean energy electricity capacity to 50% of the total installed capacity in the same period.
Challenges:
1. Public Awareness:
● Commercial
nuclear power is sometimes viewed by the general public as a dangerous or
unstable process.
● This
perception is often based on three global nuclear accidents, its false
association with nuclear weapons.
2. Used Fuel Transportation, Storage and Disposal:
● Many
people view used fuel as a growing problem and are apprehensive about its
transportation, storage, and disposal.
3. Constructing New Power Plants:
● Building
a nuclear power plant can be discouraging for stakeholders.
● Conventional
reactor designs are considered multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects.
● High
capital costs, licensing and regulation approvals, coupled with long lead times
and construction delays, have also deterred public interest.
4. High Operating Costs:
● Challenging
market conditions have left the nuclear industry struggling to compete. Strict
regulations on maintenance, staffing levels, operator training, and plant
inspections have become a financial burden for the industry.