Anil Kakodkar: Nuclear Power Should be Scaled Up

The loading of fuel into the 500MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam recently is a signal moment, says Dr Anil Kakodkar, former chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission. Speaking on The Gist show, he said it came on the back of over 20 years of effort by Indian atomic scientists. It will generate more plutonium that it consumes, thereby ensuring fuel for future reactors and reducing the issues relating to storage and treatment of nuclear waste.

But Dr Kakodkar believes nuclear energy does not have the same level of support that perhaps other energy sources, such as renewables, have had. Can’t government encourage bonds similar to the Green Bonds for renewable energy, he asked.

In his view, India needs to ramp up its programme of building nuclear reactors: currently two of 1000MW each are under construction in Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu. Ideally, this should be scaled up to perhaps six such reactors. Then only will India make a dent in the electricity deficit.

He said India today has the technology and the industrial capacity to build reactors “in fleet mode”, which is what the government wants. Industry needs to be reassured they will be sustained, then only will they seek to invest in capacity and technology. He also called for more companies like the Nuclear Power Corporation of India to speed up reactor construction.

Do tune in for more in this conversation with Dr Anil Kakodkar, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission