Supreme Court petitioned to stall proposed nuclear plants

Former bureaucrats, scientists,; say government pushing dangerous nuclear power programme without assessing safety or comparing cost with other sources of energy like renewables

As protests against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant under construction in Tamil Nadu grows louder, several former bureaucrats and scientists have petitioned the Supreme Court to stay all the proposed nuclear power plants till a safety reassessment is done. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), however, maintains that Indian nuclear power plants are safe and capable of enduring natural disasters.

Main contentions

The petition asks for safety reassesment and cost benefit analysis of all the nuclear power plants.
It seeks stay on all the proposed nuclear power plants
It questions the technology of the imported nuclear reactors for Koodankulam and Japitapur nuclear power plants
It asks for declaring The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act unconstitutional as it exempts suppliers from liability.
It objects to the cap on nuclear liability for just Rs 1,500 crores

Leaked Russian report flags safety concern

What leaked Russian report said

Not all of the nuclear power plants have the option of automatic emergency reactor shutdown, essential to safeguard against earthquakes
Hydrogen concentration control systems and systems and components ensuring hydrogen explosion safety do not meet the requirements of the Rules of Hydrogen Explosion Safety Assurance at nuclear power plants
Flaws and defects in the design of the actuators in Russian High Power Channel type reactor (RBMK-1000) may lead to accidents
No evidence is provided for the capability of reactor units to maintain safe conditions for prolonged periods during accidents caused due to loss of cooling systems, loss of power due to failure of diesel generators and failure of service water supply system
Working efficiency of the jet-vortex condenser (JVC) in the conditions of a beyond-design-basis accident lacks proper substantiation

Nuclear liability bill criticised

Fukushima