Kamal Haasan seeks clarification over roadmap for ramping up India’s nuclear power generation

Rajya Sabha member Kamal Haasan recently raised two questions in Parliament related to the strategy and timeline for scaling up nuclear capacity under the Nuclear Energy Mission and the discontinuation of E10 petrol.

He wanted to know how the government was planning to increase nuclear capacity from 8.88 GW to 100 GW and a timeline for the construction of thorium-based advanced heavy water reactors to harness India’s thorium reserves. He also wanted to know the anticipated timeline for the construction of two additional fast breeder reactors (FBR) in Kalpakkam and information about engagement with local communities and the resulting environmental and social impact assessments.

‘Comprehensive plan’

Answering the questions, Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, and Prime Minister’s Office, said that the government had drawn up a comprehensive road map to achieve capacity of 100 GW by 2047 and that present power capacity could be increased to about 22 GW by 2031-32 on progressive completion of projects under implementation.

“The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has drawn up plans to contribute about 54 GW out of the 100 GW capacity envisioned by 2047. India has limited uranium and abundant thorium reserves. Thorium, unlike uranium, is a fertile material and needs to be converted to fissile uranium-233 in a nuclear reactor before it can be used to generate energy. Thus, the Three Stage Nuclear Power Programme, envisaged by the Department, remains a key component of India’s nuclear power programme aiming towards optimum use of the limited uranium resources and exploitation of abundant thorium reserves for long-term energy security in a sustainable manner,” he said.

On a query related to FBRs in Kalpakkam, Mr. Singh said BHAVINI (Bharatiya Nabikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited) was currently commissioning a 500 MWe Prototype FBR project in Kalpakkam.

“Government has accorded approval to carry out pre-project activities for the 2 x 500 MWe twin unit of FBR 1 and 2 project at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. Environmental and social impact assessment study as per the applicable norms will be carried out for these projects. BHAVINI is taking adequate measures to gain the confidence of the local population through planned CSR and outreach activities. In the outreach activities, advantages of nuclear power and the safety features of PFBR are explained to the local public and to the students from schools and colleges from the neighbourhood,” he said.

E20 fuel

Responding to a query on whether comprehensive studies were conducted on the impact of E20 fuel on vehicle mileage, engine components, and fleet compatibility and whether there were proposals to reintroduce E10 as an option considering its compatibility with older vehicles, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said, “The Inter-Ministerial Committee constituted on December 26, 2020, under NITI Aayog had, inter alia, examined various aspects of vehicle compatibility and mileage. This assessment was also supported by research studies conducted by Indian Oil Corporation Limited, the Automotive Research Association of India, and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers. Extensive field trials on vehicles with E20 fuel did not indicate any compatibility issue or any negative effect of E20.”

Mr. Gadkari added, “The studies have confirmed that even legacy vehicles do not exhibit any significant variations in performance nor do they show abnormal wear-and-tear when operated with E20 fuel. No issues were reported in parameters such as drivability, startability, metal compatibility and plastic compatibility.”

He further said, “Vehicle mileage is influenced by a variety of factors beyond just fuel type. These include driving habits, maintenance practices such as oil changes and air filter cleanliness, tyre pressure and alignment, and even air conditioning load.”