Slow progress: A PFBR construction site in Tamil Nadu

It?s always easier said than done. Embarking on the ?developmental benefits to millions of people?, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has resented artificial restrictions on the country?s peaceful nuclear applications . But looking at the scenario of nuclear energy and allied technology programmes in India, one may ask him: what we have done so far?

In the mid-1980s, Indian atomic experts set the target of generating 10,000 MW energy ? about 10 per cent of the total installed power generation capacity ? to be achieved by the year 2000. Despite five decades of R&D, planning and execution, India?s current record in producing electricity from nuclear plants remains abysmally 2000 MW ? less than three per cent. In France, nuclear plants produce 75 per cent of the country?s electricity, in the US 19.8 per cent and in the UK 28.87 per cent.

Not dissuaded by the real achievement, the Indian nuclear establishment has set another over-ambitious target of producing 20,000 MW nuclear power by the year 2020 at the expense of Rs 80,000 crores.

Considering the installation cost of hydro or thermal power projects, nuclear power has been expensive, even if we ignore all the nuke expenses we had till 1994. Since the government wasn?t always able to shell out adequate funds, it should have welcomed private investors.

In the US, France and UK, private industries serve as partners in nuclear power industry. In this age of responsible corporate culture, carefully-handled private-public venture will be no less capable than the existing government operators. Such a policy has led to the migration of qualified manpower from nuclear industries to other sectors. The Indian nuclear establishment is acting as a silent, rigid and politically overbearing outfit.

In the long run, the nuclear option will be called upon to play an increasing role. But our preparation is not adequate till date. The nuclear power programme has recently been blessed with mammoth investment (five times the level during the previous five-year plans). Despite that, the DAE is moving at a snail?s pace.

With the short storage of uranium (only 0.8 per cent of the world reserves), India is hardly blessed to go for the cheaper boiling-water reactor technology. The indigenous prototype fast breeder reactor technology (PFBR) adopted by the Indian researchers encashing its massive thorium reserve (about 32 per cent of the world?s) proved complicated, time-consuming and a costly affair. Also, we are yet to take a look at the other peaceful uses of atomic energy (like health care, medicine, agriculture and food processing) where developing nations have already pitched in.

Lack of vision and enthusiasm have marred the dream of Homi Jehangir Bhabha, prime architect of India?s atomic energy programme. It is high time that we make separate nuclear activities for civilian and military purposes.