Nuclear Power

India had developed the technology of generating energy from nuclear minerals such as uranium and thorium. Installation of nuclear rectors for generating power requires huge capital and sophisticated technological skills.

The share of nuclear power, in the total energy produced in the country is hardly 2%. Nuclear power is a promising source of energy for future. It would play a complementary role when the other sources of power like coal and petroleum would be exhausted.

Nuclear power programme was initiated in the 5th decade of the last century and an apex body for decision-making regarding atomic programmes, the ‘Tata Atomic Energy Commission’ was incorporated in August 1948. But progress in this direction could be made only after the establishment of the Atomic Energy Institute at Trombay in 1954 which was renamed as the ‘Bhabha Atomic Research Centre’ (BARC) in 1967.

Consequently, first nuclear power station with 320 MW capacity was set up at Tarapur near Mumbai in 1969. Later, atomic reactors were installed at Rawatbhata (300 MW) near Kota in Rajasthan, Kalpakkam (440 MW) in Tamil Nadu, and Narora in Uttar Pradesh, Kaiga in Karnataka and Kakarapara in Gujarat also have nuclear energy plants.

Thus at present, nuclear energy is produced from ten units located at six centres. Requirements of fuel and heavy water of these power reactors are fulfilled by the Nuclear Fuel Complex located at Hyderabad and heavy water plant at Vadodara.

16,707 MUs nuclear power was generated in the year 2004-05 which is a small fraction of the country’s total production of electrical energy. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has an ambitious nuclear power programme aiming at achieving an installed nuclear power capacity of 20,000 MW by the year 2020.

Generation of nuclear power is highly hazardous. A slight carelessness in the security may cause severe accidents endangering lives of thousands of people in its surrounding areas. Therefore, strict precautions and security measures are highly essential.