Indian Science Congress: 'Make in India key for nuclear power growth'

Nuclear power plants contribute 6 out of 250 gigawatt electricity produced in country

India’s nuclear power programme will succeed only of the cost of power produced is competitive with that of newer sources of energy like solar.  While the government irons out the kinks in its nuclear policy to encourage foreign players to invest, it is India Inc that will need to drive home big deals and bring manufacturing to India, said former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Srikumar Banerjee.

“The stumbling block (for nuclear energy) is mainly the economics. It has to be made competitive, and if you compare the tariff, it has to be comparable to other forms of energy,” said Banerjee at the Indian Science Congress here. “If you can actually shift this equipment building activity, in a big way, to Indian soil by the Indian industry, then the rate will come down.”

LIGHTING UP INDIA

• 250 Gigawatt: Amount of electricity India produces
• 6 Gigawatt: Contributed by nuclear power plants
• 600 Gigawatt: India’s expected energy requirement by 2032
• 10% could be contributed by nuclear power plants to the 600 Gigawatt of expected need
• 25% of India’s population has no power connection

Today, India produces close to 250 Gigawatt of electricity, out of which close to just 6 Gigawatt is contributed by nuclear power plants. By 2032, it is estimated that the country’s energy needs will grow to 600 Gigawatt, out of which nuclear has the potential to contribute 10 per cent, said Banerjee.

The global average for power produced by nuclear reactors is 11 per cent. The per capita consumption of electricity in the country is a little over three times less than that of the global average, and 25 per cent of India’s population does not have access to electricity. Experts say in the next 20 years, considering that the country’s population grows marginally to 1.4 billion, this energy need could jump to 800 Gigawatt.

“Nuclear power’s biggest potential is in the long term. If you are at that level, say 60 Gigawatt by 2032, that will give us the jumping board from where we can raise it to a much higher level and can supply energy for the whole country for several centuries,” added Banerjee.

“The main point in a nuclear reactor, when you are having an international cooperation, is that the cost of installation is such that you get power which you can sell at a competitive rate. All other things are political part. But commercially if it is not viable then nothing will work,” added Banerjee.

As the number of traditional nuclear reactors goes up, the country will be able to bring online more fast-breeder reactors that run on Plutonium, which could help in the exponential growth of nuclear power generation. Currently, the prototype fast breeder reactor being built at Kalpakam is in the sodium filling stage, but has been facing several delays.

"Nuclear's biggest potential is in the long term. If you are at that level, say 60 gigawatt by 2032, that will give us the jumping board from where we can raise it to a much higher level and can supply energy for the whole country for several centuries," added Banerjee.