Although the Indian government wants to promote the proposed Indo-US nuclear deal in terms of power generation, the deal has very little to do with power generation. Nuclear power contributes about 2 percent of the current electricity generations in India. At present, India was producing 3,300 MW. In 2020, the production would be 7,000 MW. According to the Planning Commission and the Prime Minister, the capacity of nuclear power would be 20,000 MW in the year 2020. In order to get there India will buy second-hand reactors from the U.S. to produce 13,000 MW of nuclear power. India will have to spend about Rs. 2 lakh crore for reactors and another Rs. 8 lakh crore to set them up with fuel facilities to achieve that goal. The Indian budget is only Rs. 6.5 lakh crore per year. Thus, India will spend two times more than the country’s annual budget on setting up these vintage reactors only. Even if India were to achieve a 50% increase in nuclear power generation (which is unlikely) such a step would only increase India’s overall electricity output by one percent at most, and would only increase India’s overall energy output by a fraction of one percent. The reason, USA is pushing so hard that India should accept the deal, is, that, this deal is nothing but nuclear non-proliferation treaty in a different name. If MM Singh is a democrat, he should have organized a Referendum or at least a voting in the joint session of the Parliament.
RE:Unelected Undemocratic PM
by rohit thakkar on Jul 01, 2008 11:18 AM Permalink
Further dear, even if we believe mR. BOSE THAT the country will be investing this much. Kindly look in to the amount being invested in the NUclear research in India at present and the total amount that India will invest in future years to achieve the technology standards that it will recieve now itself.
RE:Unelected Undemocratic PM
by All Right on Jul 01, 2008 11:05 AM Permalink
The deal is not so much to setup "vintage" reactors but to up the capacity of "vintage" reactors already setup. Only these category of civilian reactors are covered by the treaty.
dia's fast breeder reactor is in the cutting edge of nuclear technology. It is based on thorium. The problem is that this technology is still in its developmental stage. So India's medium and long term strategy is on fast breeder reactors which remain unchanged.
RE:Unelected Undemocratic PM
by rohit thakkar on Jul 01, 2008 11:14 AM Permalink
What India is wishing to get from the US and other NSG members is that advanced Thorium based reactors(India has 40% of the world thorium reserves), and Fuel (Uranium) for its current reactors which are starved of fuel shortage and running at much lower than their capacity.
If India hopes to build Thorium based Reactors, it is still going to take too many years. So, Please support the deal dear. Their Nuclear Technology is much advanced than ours.We have to accept this.
RE:Unelected Undemocratic PM
by rohit thakkar on Jul 01, 2008 11:04 AM Permalink
get your facts right mr... U people misconvey the information. provide half the total information and feel that you are the country's best thinkers.
RE:Unelected Undemocratic PM
by counter view on Jul 01, 2008 11:11 AM Permalink
Instead of coming up with phony opposition, try to point out with the facts, known to you.
It will serve the purpose of discussion board far better.
