U.S %u2013 INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL - A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE
There are many sources for commercial energy, and Nuclear Energy being one of those, contributes about 16% of world energy needs. But, Nuclear Energy has been one of the favorites of the media and hence it has all along been in the public domain ever since its birth about 50 years back. The reason is very simple. Nuclear energy was born and has been with defence tag and hence was kept under wraps, out of the media reach. As the human psychology goes, anything kept secret attracts inquisitiveness and associated gossips, misgivings, blowing out of proportions, etc. While the media kept on publishing all negative %u201Cfacts%u201D based on half baked information and building up a completely hostile response in the minds of general public, the Technical people kept silent for official reasons.
The Three Mile Accident in USA and the Chernobyl Accident in Russia added fuel to the fire and eventually Nuclear Energy was banned in many Countries and put on back burner in most other Countries, the leader for this debacle being USA.
Fortunately, India kept the Nuclear Energy torch glowing even while the strongest proponents of Nuclear Energy like France copied USA and slowed down their Nuclear Programme. Now, even while the rest of the world is looking back at their Nuclear Energy policy with regrets, with USA being the front runner(as usual), India smiles with proud. Yes, now all the Developed Countries want to revive their Nucl
RE:THE DEAL - A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE
by KANDASAMY PERIASAMY on Sep 01, 2007 08:07 PM Permalink
Energy policy with regrets, with USA being the front runner(as usual), India smiles with proud. Yes, now all the Developed Countries want to revive their Nuclear Energy programs in the light of Carbon Dioxide crisis and the rising oil prices. Apart from these indirect driving forces, the splendid performance of all running Nuclear Reactors, their safety records, successful development of nuclear waste management methods, etc have created a positive response in favour of the Nuclear Power, on their own merit.
But unfortunately for them, the Nuclear Industries in Developed countries are in the verge of closure with no trained manpower and infrastructure. Whereas, India has a robust Nuclear Industry with the best of the technologies and technical manpower par excellence! But for the draw backs of limited funds, and the public skepticism on the capabilities of our engineers, Indian Nuclear Energy would have been far better. It is an irony that all suspect the capabilities of the Engineers only and not the unrealistic Labour Laws, which has been one of the major reasons for the lack luster performance of DAE( for that matter any PSU ).
For long, for good in some aspects, and bad in some other aspects, we kept up our decision of not signing the lopsided Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). We also kept our dignity high in the world arena, by not using our Nuclear capabilities against any one, even under the most provocative situations. As a consequence of this political d
RE:RE:THE DEAL - A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE
by KANDASAMY PERIASAMY on Sep 01, 2007 08:10 PM Permalink
As a consequence of this political decision, we were kept isolated from the rest of the world in the Nuclear Energy sphere. As a blessing in disguise, this resulted in our Nuclear Industry taking deep roots technically. But at the same time, it could not spread its wings commercially, for want of Investments. Hence, today, what we need is Investments and not Technology. We have the complete Technologies for closing the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, including Uranium Enrichment, Reprocessing and Waste Immobilization. In my perception, the above referred three stages, are in fact much simpler compared to the Reactor Design and Construction. There is a misconception in the media that this US-India Nuclear Deal is for Technology Transfer(especially the Fuel Reprocessing) apart from Fuel and Investment. It is far from truth. It could be the perception of the US and the rest of the world. The Nuclear Community in India knows better about it.
Given an opportunity, we can Reprocess all the Spent Nuclear Fuels being kept by many Countries ( without knowing what to do with it ! ), recover the Uranium and Plutonium and use it in our Reactors. We can also keep the Nuclear Wastes generated from these Fuels. We know how to handle it in the most scientific and environmentally benign manner. I am sure, the Nuclear Community in India has absolutely no reservations about it. In fact, we can seriously pursue this route to get Uranium( and valuable Plutonium, as bonus) when this US-India Nucle
RE:RE:RE:THE DEAL - A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE
by KANDASAMY PERIASAMY on Sep 01, 2007 08:13 PM Permalink
In fact, we can seriously pursue this route to get Uranium( and valuable Plutonium, as bonus) when this US-India Nuclear Deal goes through.
Now, we have got a golden opportunity of having the Cake and eating it too! Yes, the same old people who left us in the lurch in the light of Pokhran %u2013 1 explosion, saying that we will not do business with India, are coming back to us with olive branch. They say, you need not sign NPT and you need not cap your nuclear defence program, and still we want to do business with you ! It is only natural that there is some interest for them too, for doing so. Obviously, they want to get business for their dying nuclear industry and also want to invest in one of the most promising emerging economies, next only to China. It is like a person from Nagarcovil buying a Plot in the outskirts of Chennai! Any one with neutral perspective, can not find fault in the motive of USA initiating this nuclear dialogue. Let it be their motive to make money. But, what we should look at is, do we have benefit in it or not.
All those who understand the techno-commercial equations of commercial energy and who is not prejudiced with the half baked recipes of the media explained above, will appreciate that next to Hydel and Wind energies, Nuclear energy shall be our priority. Solar energy may emerge as a probable choice, if the manufacturing cost of photovoltaic cells are reduced substantially. But, Wind / Solar can only pl
RE:THE DEAL - A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE
by Chakravarthy Muralidhar on Sep 02, 2007 09:50 AM Permalink
Dear Kandasamy,I fully agree with your analysis on the status of Indian nuke tech,that is at the leading edge of global tech knowldge-base.But worries me no end is that this seduction called 123-Deal is a subterfuge for not only prying open our nuke establishment but also infiltrate and break up and bring to tatters the nuke organisation that the country has assiduously built up in these 33 years of nuke isolation.You may ask,how?Take your example of the man from Nagarkovil buying land in the suburbs of Chennai.Now our nuke scientists and technologists are paid as if they are some beggars on the streets of Chembur or if he is eminent then perhaps treated like beggar on Colaba at best!Besides,s/he hardly gets any professional freedom.After going through all those 'efficiency bars'to get that 75 or 100 bucks increment he is shoved out with a solid kick on his backside -however good he may be- at the tick of age 58/60.Now imagine the kind of attraction/ emotion churning a good nuke metallurgist/ physicist will be subjected to when a US/European nuke establishment offers him a senior position in their lab,after India operationalises the 123-Hatchet Plan!Is the situation not akin to your Nagarkovil youth getting an opportunity to own land in Chennai?And that is one of the objectives of US.As you said,their tech human resource has dangerously dried up.India's is waiting to be poached!What better way than seduction?You will witness mass exodus after lifting of intrnatnl'apartheid'!
RE:THE DEAL - A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE
by Chakravarthy Muralidhar on Sep 02, 2007 07:30 PM Permalink
Having self confidence!That is what the deal is not,friend!When you have self-confiedence and you know that you have developed a technology superior than what US has at the moment,than you don't go down on all your four limbs and sign a deal in which you are assigned permanently the role of a "receiver" and the assigner assigns to himself and his cohorts the role of the "giver" or "supplier".For your info the 123-Deal even implies that only the US and the countries forming the NSG are "givers".As to your argument of the 123-deal is better than what the Chinese have got from US is all of no concern to this debate and India should pay scant regard to such matters.What China signs is its concern alone and what we want to do is exclusively our concern.That is the way to self-confidence and not making statements that "India wrenched the most out of US" and "this is the best we could ever expect from US",etc.Those are fit only for people with inferiority complex and low level of self esteem.
RE:THE DEAL - A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE
by Transformers Transformers on Sep 02, 2007 02:11 PM Permalink
How can a deal that is better than one that china got be a bad deal for India. Everyone knows the economic rise of china. Now this rise requires power. This deal gives us more than wot the chinese got and the chinese are known for the shrewdness with qwhich they protect their interests. Surely we have protected our interests better than the chinese. As per co operation with America is considered, wots wrong with that. U sure don wanna pursue a isolationist policy. If one has to be recognized as a global player thn one has to play global politics. Aliging with countries is one such global game to gain maximum from the current prevailing world conditions. What u suggest is we breakin relations with everyone and just become isolated from the rst of the world. And i dont understand ur fears of the whites. Even after 60 years of independence u have a fear Psychosis vis a vis the Whites and the US in particular. Even after 60 years u r nt confident abt ur freedom and the strength to keep that freedom. U still think u will be enslaved. tell me why dosn the Americans think India will capture the US and enslave the americans through this deal, thats bcoz they are strong and confident and very agressive. Same feelings should be here in us Indians.
RE:RE:RE:RE:THE DEAL - A CLEAR PERSPECTIVE
by KANDASAMY PERIASAMY on Sep 01, 2007 08:14 PM Permalink
But, Wind / Solar can only play second fiddle. They can never be the main players, given their low energy intensities. The Table given below explains the logic behind the decision to give priority for Nuclear energy. The Numbers given below are average of various Locations /Projects / Year of operation, etc :
As for the Safety and Environment issues are concerned, the comparison between the two close strong competitors of commercial electrical energy sources %u2013 Coal and Nuclear is as followed : S.No. PARAMETER COAL & nbsp;NUCLEAR REMARKS ( See below) 1. No. of fatal accidents per year in fuel mining for 1000 MW 1 Negligible 2. Respiratory diseases in Mining High Negligible &nb sp; 3. Respiratory diseases Power Plant operation High N.A. 4. Green Home Gases issue High Not Applicable a 5. Fly ash disposal issue Medium Not Applicable b 6. Radioactive waste disposal issue Not applicable Significant c 7. & nbsp; Scope for Normal Accidents Low Negligible & nbsp;d 8. Scope for Catastrophic accidents NIL Infinitely Low e,f,g,h
