Parliamentary panel discuses strategies to boost nuclear energy
New Delhi, July 14
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change on Monday heard the views of Department of Atomic Energy and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited on 'Nuclear Power Generation in the Country' and discussed ways to boost nuclear energy alongside solar power.
They also discussed ways to address uranium supply constraints by leveraging India's thorium reserves and the path toward self-reliance in atomic energy
Chairperson of the committee Dr Medha Vishram Kulkarni later said the meeting was very productive.
"Discussions focused on nuclear science, specifically atomic energy, covering India's current work, the number of operational reactors, and future plans. India has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. To address current challenges--such as fuel issues, availability constraints, and high carbon emissions--work is underway on multiple fronts, particularly expanding both solar and nuclear energy capacities," Medha Vishram Kulkarni told ANI.
"Discussions included strategies to boost nuclear energy alongside solar power, addressing uranium supply constraints by leveraging India's thorium reserves, and charting a path toward self-reliance in atomic energy... India is moving towards self-reliance and investing heavily in resources and R&D; today, we all felt immense pride in our scientists and their efforts," she added.
India marked a major milestone in its nuclear energy programme in April this yeasr with the indigenously designed and built Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu successfully attaining first criticality.
It marked the initiation of a sustained nuclear chain reaction. This PFBR is a 500 MWe (MegaWatt electrical) reactor built by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI) at the Kalpakkam Nuclear Complex.
With this achievement, India officially entered the second stage of its three-stage nuclear power programme, a vision first conceived by Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha, the architect of India's nuclear programme. The milestone carries substantial global significance. Once fully operational, India will become only the second country in the world after Russia to operate a commercial fast breeder reactor.
— ANI
Reader Comments
While I am excited about nuclear energy, I hope the government also focuses on safety and waste disposal. We have seen what happened at Fukushima and Chernobyl. The environmental impact must be thoroughly assessed before expanding nuclear power. Even if it is 'clean' energy, we need to be very careful.
Absolutely brilliant! India being only the second country after Russia to operate a commercial fast breeder reactor is no small feat. Our scientists deserve all the praise. And using our abundant thorium reserves for energy self-reliance is a game-changer for India's energy security.
Interesting development. I wonder how this will affect India's solar energy ambitions. The article mentions boosting both simultaneously, but resources are finite. Hopefully, the parliamentary panel has a clear roadmap to balance these two energy sources effectively.
Net-zero by 2070 is a tall order, but steps like this give me hope. The PFBR milestone shows India is serious about clean energy. However, we also need to address the high upfront costs and long construction times of nuclear plants. More transparency on the financials would be appreciated.
Hats off to the Indian scientists! The three-stage nuclear programme is a visionary plan. Using thorium, which India has in abundance, instead of relying on imported uranium, is a masterstroke for self-reliance. This is exactly the kind of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' we need. 💪
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