‘Nuclear project risks are blown out of proportion’

While the setting up of nuclear power plants in the country has turned into a flashpoint with locals and environmentalists protesting against them, VP Raja, chairman of the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC), feels the risks associated with nuclear power projects have been blown out of proportion.

Raja, who has worked in the department of atomic energy as joint secretary, additional secretary and later as principal advisor, points out that more communication with the people regarding nuclear energy is the way out.

A few years ago, we had less power generation capacity. Today, we are in a mismatch situation wherein we have capacity but there are fuel supply bottlenecks.

A positive way of looking at it is that there is a creation of capacity. In the [recently concluded] 11th Five-Year Plan, India planned for adding 78,000 megawatts (MW) capacity. This was brought down mid-term, and at the end of the Five-Year plan period we ended up with 50,000MW. When the 11th Five-Year Plan began, the entire capacity was 1,30,000MW. In five years, adding 50,000MW is quite an achievement in its own way.

While doing this… you obviously require fuel. So, coal has become critical. Now, the need for imported coal has gone up. A certain amount of mismatch is possible. However, implementation happens when pressures increases. Indian companies are purchasing coal assets abroad. That will put pressure on ports… to develop new berths and coal handling facilities. This is a positive way of seeing the mismatch, it creates new pressures.

Nuclear power projects are being opposed across the country, be it Jaitapur or Kudankulam. Is this because the scientific establishment is unable to engage with people and dispel their notions about nuclear energy in the language they understand?

Substantially. It is a problem of the asymmetry of information that exists between an advanced area like atomic energy and the people… at large. This asymmetry of information has to be bridged with more and more communication. Not all good scientists are good communicators. More people must be science communicators.

There is a finite risk in every human activity; to understand and reduce the risk is all that we can do. There is a risk associated with fire, so do we stop cooking?

We must take all steps possible to minimise risks, but the risk cannot be reduced to zero. The risk associated with nuclear power projects has been blown out of proportion, while the risks associated with other activities are taken for granted.

So, more communication is the way out?
Yes. In France, 80% of power comes from nuclear sources. This planning was done when General Charles de Gaulle was the president. Earlier, it imported power from neighbouring countries and de Gaulle stressed on self- sufficiency in energy… So, it decided to go nuclear… A well-orchestrated communication campaign was carried out by the government.

There is an information gap which needs to be bridged…
The Indian nuclear programme has always been a closed-door affair. The department has always been with the prime minister. There is no parliamentary scrutiny of what is happening.
The answer to this is more communication. The people must be on your side. This communication must start from schools and colleges.

How can the state electricity board cut losses further?
The Mahavitaran (Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited) has done good work, but they need to do much more. The first requirement would be 100% metering of all distribution transformers and feeders.

A company in the business of selling electricity should not sell it without metering it. Of the 32 to 33 lakh agricultural pump sets in Maharashtra, around 50% are not metered. Achieving 100% per cent metering is absolutely essential to bring down distribution losses.