Nuclear energy

Nuclear energy

Nuclear fission can generate electricity by splitting atoms in a reactor to heat water into the steam that turns turbines. Nuclear energy is preferable to other types of renewable sources because it occupies less land and generates a fraction of waste generated. India is the only developing nation to both develop and deploy demonstrative nuclear reactors for power generation on an indigenously developed technology.

It is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India and produces 2% from an installed capacity.

NUCLEAR ENERGY POTENTIAL IN INDIA

In total India have 7th number of nuclear reactors out side world as it is located at over more than 22 nuclear reactor in atom bomb consists country with a capacity of generating Nuclear power (GT) –

the G stands for gigawatts and Tis terawatt hours or billion watts production up to1640 MW gross Domestic Production, another additional source generated through atomic ventures.

The planned increase in nuclear power capacity will boost the country's energy transition to a net zero economy, as it aims to raise its atomic share of India’s production from 3.2% now to over 5% by 2031.

INDIA NUCLEAR ENERGY RESOURCES

India has a small uranium resource and possesses an extremely large thorium DVD! It is well established that uranium and thorium have the unique features controlling their applicability as nuclear fuel for reactors.

Unlike uranium, thorium isn't a nuclear fuel you can just dig up and throw into an existing reactor. India has been striving to address its soaring energy demand, which is met only partially through imports due to inadequate reform of the scarcely distorted primary sector.

India is expected to double gas consumption, expand past nuclear and massively grow electricity demand 898 % according to the BP Energy Outlook between now and 2040.

Annual uranium imports: By 2022-23, India plans to import up to 100 tonnes of natural uranium; pacts in place with Canada, Kazakistan, Russia and Uzbekistan for buying the ore.

URANIUM DEPOSITS IN INDIA

1) Jaduguda, a small town in eastern India has the distinction of starting underground uranium ore mining & processing industry for (C.A.G.) on 1968

2)In 1951, JADUGUDA in SINGHBHUM THRUST BELT (JARKHAND) was the first ore site to be established for uranium in India.

3)Underground mines: Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar and Turamdih

4) The Cuddapah basin in Andhra Pradesh is known to host a variety of uranium occurrences as well.

5) Sandstone-type uranium occurs in the Mahadek basin of Meghalaya, at Domiasiat, Wahkhyn and Mawsynram.

6) Furthermore, there are few potentials for substantial deposits in other parts of Rajasthan; Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.

THORIUM DEPOSITS IN INDIA

1) India has thorium reserves which can be used more than any other part of the world.

2) Thorium may be found in monazite sands on both the east and west coasts of India as well as some areas in Bihar.

3) However, monazite sand is very abundant on the Kerala coast. The sands is estimated to host more than 15,200 tonnes of uranium (Figure 6).

4) Major Producing States: Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Bihar and Kerala.

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN INDIA

1) a nuclear reactor life-cycle is generally put into operation this phase and it lasts for the largest part of time. india -- 4 light water reactors and 19 pressurized heavy water reactors (phwrs)

2) in gujarat, the country's first largest indigenous 700 mw kakrapar nuclear power plant unit-3 began operations at full capacity.

3) as per the government, it is in plans of building 12 more nuclear power reactors by 2024.

4) iaea safeguards: 14/22 of india's nuclear reactors are under IAEA safeguards (imported fuel use).

5) india submitted its reactors to IAEA protection in 2014, providing access for the international nuclear watchdog and presenting in good faith its genuine purpose of peaceful nuclear energy.

THREE STAGE NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMME OF INDIA

India's three-stage nuclear power programme was formulated by Homi Bhabha in the 1950s to secure the country's long term energy independence,

through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions. As a result, India is now well into the second stage of an ambitious nuclear program.

The ultimate aim of the programme is to facilitate India's use thorium reserve for meeting her energy requirements.

In addition, NITI Aayog recommended that the government expedite small modular reactors with private investment to fill India's energy deficit while also replacing old thermal power plants.

STAGE 1:Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) Fuelled with Natural Uranium

· In the first phase, natural uranium as fuel was used in Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) to generate electricity and plutonium-239 simultaneously. The by product plutonium-293 would also be used in the second stage.

· The major reasons for choosing PHWRs as the First Stage of the Indian nuclear power programme 1960 like era were:

· Fuel with natural uranium oxide

· The most efficient use of this uranium we dig up for producing...nergies.

· The promise of a truly autonomous technology.

· No enrichment is required

· It is because as heavy water can be used to burn natural uranium without enriching it.

· No depleted uranium tails since enrichment is not used

· That enables the uranium resource to be used efficiently.

· (ie) - Reactor is not shut down for refuelling, saving significant downtime when compared to most other reactors

· It needs pure heavy water.

· Thus, water systems must be very carefully sealed and monitored.

· Heavy water is neutron-absorptive and will convert into tritium (H^3) when it absorbs neutrons, which makes it a low radioactive hazard

· Due to their use of heavy water, they produce more tritium than light-water reactors.

ADVANTAGES:

1. Research into new technologies: Stage 1 provides for the research and development of next-generation nuclear technology to increase efficiency, safety and waste minimization.

2. Innovate and advance:Research at this stage could drive materials science, reactor design, fuel processing further towards more sustainable nuclear power.

3. Collaboration and knowledge dissemination: Collaborative international research projects can help disseminate organised data faster, helping to advance in the field.

DISADVANTAGES:

1. Research and development are inherently expensive - only governments or deep-pocketed private entities can afford it.

2. Long timelines: Developing new technologies and assuring their effectiveness can take years, even decades before they are commercially sound.

3. Risk of failure, for not all research projects will be successful and there is a possibility that the investment does not return what expected from it.

PHASE 2 - FAST BREEDER REACTORS (FBRS) WITH PLUTONIUM BASED FUEL

· Stage 2 Following that, plutonium-239 would be converted into mixed oxide fuel for use in Fast Breeder Reactors.

· Additionally, thorium will be added to the reactor as soon as enough stockpiles of plutonium-239 have been produced in order to produce uranium-233. This uranium is needed to charge the third stage. Safe and efficient.

· Green energy source since waste of first stage nuclear is recycled as fuel in FBR.

· Efficient use of uranium.

· FBRs are liquid-sodium-cooled and both air- as well as water-reactive, exploding in either case.

· Therefore any sodium coolant leak can ignite.

· The containment dome in FBRs is not as robust than other reactors

Advantages:

1. Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Nuclear power plants PDO have produced fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuel-based power plants. This will help to minimize the overall carbon emissions and contribute towards fight against climate change.

2. High Energy Density:Nuclear fission is a process that releases an enormous amount of energy from relatively small amounts, the result in high-energy density; it also has similar factors. This efficiency allows nuclear power plants to produce a lot of electricity with only a modest amount of fuel.

3. Stable Power Supply: Nuclear power plants run around the clock and deliver a steady baseload to maintain electricity supply. They are also not influenced by the weather, a trend that renewable energy sources e.g. solar or wind have shown in past years.

4. Long-term Energy Production: Nuclear reactors can operate for longer durations (generally 18-24 months) before refueling is required which means stable production of energy over a larger time period.

Disadvantages:

1. Nuclear Accidents:they are rare but can be catastrophic resulting in massive environmental contamination and health issues related to radiation exposure over the long term. Case in point Chernobyl & Fukushima- a few of the many examples.

2. High Out of Pocket Costs: Initially, nuclear plants require huge investments to be built. It uses costly safety systems, requires strict regulatory approvals and takes longer to construct than many other energy sources; all of this makes it expensive.

3. Radioactive Waste:The by-products of nuclear fission include radioactive waste, which must be dealt with in a safe manner so that it does not contaminate the surrounding environment or harm humans.

4. Limited Fuel Supply:Uranium is a fairly abundant resource, but it is limited. Moreover, the mining and refining processes of uranium are hazardous to both worker health as well as community safety.

5. risk for attacks and sabotage ; Nuclear power plants are at risk for attacks and sabotage due to the potential consequences of mistakes or sabotage. It is essential to be able to secure these facilities, in order not only for any threats or sabotage.

6. Public Perception and Opposition:Public concerns can influence policy decisions, affecting the deployment of nuclear technology. This is motivated, mostly, by worries on the safety of people and how to dispose off nuclear waste after centuries or even millennia post accidents like Fukushima.

PHASE 3: FISSION BASED ON THORIUM FOR ADVANCED NUCLEAR POWER SYSTEMS

The final aim of stage 3 is the closing up of a nuclear fuel cycle on extended time intervals. This would involve a kind of thorium fuel cycle that potentially generates uranium-233 as the advanced nuclear system. In other words, India would use its vast thorium resources via a thermal breeder reactor. Now, this stage is in the research phase.

· Thorium: If used in a water-cooled or molten-salt reactor, it can produce more uranium-233 than it uses up.

· Thorium is abundant, and can be used to breed the fissile material that will power efficient gen IV reactors for centuries. They might also be a cleaner source of nuclear power, producing less long-lasting nuclear waste than uranium reactors.

· Thorium fuels are considered proliferation resistant compared to uranium fuel, because it does not produce plutonium.

· The metal being plentiful, but highly difficult to take from the ground in any reasonable way.

· This includes Testing, Continuous Analysis & Licensing -large investment for the testing and analysis part.

· Thorium is 'fertile' and non-fissile, so it has to be converted into Uranium-233 (which _is_ fissile) for a chain reaction.

· Since the melting point of thorium oxide is higher, high temperatures are necessary for its production at a high density.

- There can be large fractions of Uranium-232 in irradiated thorium fuels resulting in significant gamma-ray emissions.

Advantages:

1. Advanced technology -Technology has advanced to a point where it is now safe enough for us to deal with and store nuclear waste. High-level waste can be minimized by reprocessing and recycling techniques,

2. Deep geological repository: It is designed so that the high-level nuclear waste could be stored permanently isolated from the human environment for thousands of years to deliver a complete and long-term solution are called as deep geologic repositories.

3. Less Carbon Emissions: Appropriate management of nuclear waste means that the environmental advantages of using nuclear power without huge carbon emissions are all largely achieved.

4. Energy Potential - Some varieties of nuclear waste (such as spent fuel) can be reprocessed and the fissile materials reused to produce more energy in a so-called 'open' cycle, wherein further benefits are obtained from initial fuel input.

Disadvantages:

1. Over Period of Thousands of Years Nuclear Core Meltdown - No safe long-term storage system has been developed for high-level nuclear waste, which remains hazardous to human health over thousands of years. This will need strong, long term storage solutions and continued monitoring.

2. Hazards from Plant Operation:Accidents leading to the accidental leak of radioactive materials caused by natural disasters, mishaps or technical failure as well as environmental and health issues are part of these.

3. Expensive: The proper handling and disposal of nuclear waste is very costly. These are the costs of building a storage facility, maintenance and continued tracking

4. Waste installations can face political and social threatsbased on limited public acceptance. Fears of pollution, environmental effects and decreased property values in the region where dumpsites are sited may prevent siting.

5. Transportation risks: The transportation of nuclear waste to disposal or reprocessing facilities also poses problems such as accidents, sabotage during conveyance. Making sure transports are secure and safe is an important part of this.

6. Regulatory Hurdles: Strict regulations coupled with multi-year approval timelines for waste management solutions can hinder the process of rolling out a sound strategy to get rid and save hazardous materials.

NUCLEAR ENERGY INSTITUTIONS IN INDIA

Due to the nuclear power being in a position to support India for its aim towards clean energy transition and hence several leading energy policy organizations of The Government of India (like NITI Aayog, Central Electricity Authority) has reoriented focus on Nuclear Power.

· Atomic Energy Commission: It is the governing body of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in India. The DAE is directly under the charge of PM.Research in atomic science within our territory; training atomic scientists at home and to promote research work on the nuclear front help to further these objectives, besides organising AEC.

· Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) - It was constituted in 1983 under the Atomic Energy Commission. It oversees the nuclear safety legislation and its application.

· Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL):NPCIL is the governmental organisation that owns and operates all the nuclear power plants in India, except its first indigenously developed fast breeder reactor.This is in charge of the construction, commercial licence and operation for nuclear power reactors.

· Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)- It functions underneath DAE and its most important activity is to retain peaceable applications of nuclear energy. It controls all aspects of nuclear power generation.

BENEFITS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY IN INDIA

1. Energy security: Stands to reason that India would be better off using nukes than wind and solar, because they don't provide power through the night.

2. Reduction in GHGs: As nuclear power plants do not produce greenhouse gasses or pollutants on a significant level. The power planner could result in a cut back India's responsibility for global GHGs of 6.55% on the entire, grams under it appearing barely over two-thirds coming from C consuming sphere[2].

3. Sustainable future: This launch will help India move toward a more sustainable, and cost effective feature since the country desired to increase its contribution of atomic power from 3.2 % to 5% by that year (2031).

4. Unpredictable weather power - Solar and wind power are both unpredictable powers as they depend on the current climate conditions, and besides these influence human space to quality. In contrast, nuclear energy provides always-on power with a smaller land area.

CONS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY IN INDIA

Below are some of the constraints associated with nuclear energy.

1. Some private participation: Opening up the build of nuclear plants for India to enable both public and private sector actors, however with operation an d fuel management remaining in the purview of PSUI Syntax Exception

2. The Civil LiabilityWhat may still hold back the deal, could be complaints from some Indian companies that a law passed in 2010 raises civil liability issues for nuclear accidents.

3. Nuclear Liability Issues The Civil Liability .. to Increase People Participation Internationally Memogate, hailed again by India as part of its ending isolation enthusiasm.

Hence, while India went on to sign several civil nuclear deals with the U.S., France and Japan among others after 2005, sans Russia at Kudankulam that implemented such projects before this Act.

4. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board: The AERB faces several challenges such as the regulation of widely dispersed complex nuclear and radiation installations, change in safety expectations comparable to modern global state-of-the-art standards,

a review overload within few inspectors leading large section facilities never getting timeliness reviews thereby eroding regulatory effectiveness; it is so ruins confidence building process among stakeholders.

5. Uranium Scarcity and Import Dependence: India's scarce uranium resources require the regular import of fuel, raising fuel supply concerns as well exposing Indian energy interests to foreign suppliers.