Fears Associated with the Nuclear Energy
1. Health Risks:
- Nuclear energy generation will rely on radiation and chemical substances that are extremely hazardous to human health. If even a minor leak of radiation occurs, the entire affected area must be evacuated immediately. As a result, even imperfections in nuclear energy generation affect not only the workers but also the general public who live near the power plants.
- From 1986-2005, approximately 5 million people residing around the surroundings of Chornobyl suffered and experienced increased risk of developing thyroid cancer.
2. Location:
- A large amount of land is required to build the nuclear power station as needed to build nuclear reactors and also evacuate the surrounding areas of the plant due to potential health issues.
- This causes people to be evacuated from their homes, and compensating people for evacuating to their own lands is difficult. Thus, location preference is also a major concern with nuclear energy plants.
3. Radioactive waste:
- Nuclear energy production is heavily involved in the production of waste materials. A large amount of waste will be released, potentially causing harm to both people and marine animals.
- Nuclear waste, for example, is being released into some lakes in some areas, potentially killing marine animals. As a result, nuclear waste poses the greatest risk.
- On February 2nd, the Rajasthan power station leaked helium and heavy water into the river, resulting in a nearly two-year shutdown for repairs at a cost of 280 million dollars.
4. Expensive:
- Building a nuclear power plant is extremely expensive due to the large amount of land, manpower, and expensive equipment required. We all know that construction costs in India are rapidly rising, and thus the cost of constructing a nuclear power plant is also skyrocketing.
- The Kudankulam nuclear power plant, located in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is India’s largest nuclear plant. The construction cost for the two units, Unit 1 and Unit 2, is 13,171 crores, which was later revised to 17,270 crores. Due to technological changes and inflation, the construction cost of Units 3 and 4 is twice that of Units 1 and 2 and was later revised to 39,849 crores.
5. Accidents:
- Another major concern about nuclear power plants is the possibility of accidents. Even today, whenever we hear about nuclear energy, the Chernobyl disaster comes to mind. We all know that thousands of people died in that accident. As a result, one of the most common concerns about nuclear power plants is accidents.
- On May 13, 1992, a faulty tube released nearly 12 curies of radioactivity in Tarapur, Maharashtra, costing nearly $2 million USD.
6. Fuel:
- Another important consideration is fuel. Uranium, thorium, and other similar materials are used in nuclear energy. We won’t be able to power the reactors until we have extremely powerful fusion. Overall, nuclear energy is a short-term solution at exorbitant costs.
- On May 4, 1987, a refueling accident at the fast breeder test reactor in Kalpakkam completely ruptured the reactor core, resulting in a two-year shutdown of the plant.
Facts and Fears Associated with Nuclear Energy Programme
It is one of the fastest-growing countries in every sector, which increases the demand for energy. With the growing economy, population, urbanisation, and industrialization, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) India Energy Outlook 2021, India needs more energy. Since 2000, energy consumption has risen, with coal and oil providing the majority of the supply. This is projected to increase by 35% through 2030. The need for nuclear energy is growing with the increasing world population, economic development, and climate change, and India should expand its nuclear energy program. The Indian government has also set a number of goals for expanding nuclear energy in the country.
Contact Us