Nuclear energy, a powerful source of electricity generated by splitting atoms in a reactor to heat water into steam, has recently come into light in India. One of the key players in this industry is Russia’s state-owned Nuclear Energy corporation, Rosatom, which has offered an advanced fuel option to India’s largest nuclear power station located in Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu.
How Russia is Contributing to India’s Nuclear Energy
Rosatom’s division TVEL Fuel Company, the supplier of TVS-2M fuel for India’s reactors, has offered a more modern Advanced Technology Fuel (ATF). This fuel operates with a 24-month cycle, unlike the previous 18-month fuel cycle. The longer fuel cycle allows the reactors to run for an extended two-year cycle without stopping to load fresh fuel enhancing the efficiency and power generation capacity of the reactor. Also, it brings about a significant saving in foreign exchange needed to buy fresh fuel assemblies from Russia.
Nuclear Energy: An Introduction
Nuclear energy involves the process of splitting atoms to generate heat, which is then transformed into electricity. Nuclear reactors and their accompanying equipment contain and control the chain reactions, primarily powered by Uranium-235. Notably, nuclear power is zero-emission, meaning it emits no greenhouse gases or air pollutants. Furthermore, nuclear plants require considerably less land than wind or solar farms.
Significance and Benefits of Nuclear Energy for India
India possesses a promising resource for nuclear fuel known as Thorium, making it a potential leader in the future of nuclear energy. With the extensive presence of Thorium, India has the potential to be the first nation to transition to a fossil fuel-free nation. Not only does nuclear energy provide a sustainable solution, but it also proposes a financial advantage by reducing the nation’s annual spend of about $100 billion on importing petroleum and coal. Moreover, unlike solar and wind power, nuclear energy provides a stable, high-density source of energy that is not heavily weather dependent.
India’s Initiatives in Nuclear Energy
In the 1950s, Homi Bhabha formulated a three-stage nuclear power programme for India to explore the possibility of harnessing nuclear energy for power generation. Following which, The Atomic Energy Act, 1962, was framed to utilize Uranium and Thorium in Indian Nuclear Power Reactors. Recent activities include the Government of India announcing the development of ten indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and giving “in principle approval” for establishing 28 more reactors with assistance from France, the U.S., and Russia.
Notable Nuclear Power Plants in India
India currently operates 22 nuclear power reactors with an installed capacity of 6780 MegaWatt electric (MWe). Major power plants include the Tarapur Atomic Power Station in Maharashtra, Rajasthan Atomic Power Station in Rajasthan, and Kudankulam Nuclear Power Station in Tamil Nadu, among others. Among these, 18 reactors are Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), and 4 are Light Water Reactors (LWRs).
Previous Questions Related to Nuclear Energy in UPSC Civil Services Examination
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations have included questions related to nuclear energy in previous years. These encompass understanding the natural forces, including weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force, the function of heavy water in a nuclear reactor, and queries on the nuclear science and technology’s growth and development in India.
