India needs to go nuclear

Source: This post has been created based on the article “India needs to go nuclear” published in The Indian Express on 12^th October 2023.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 3 Indian Economy — Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.

News: This article discusses the need for an expansion of nuclear energy in emerging economies, especially India and proposes a strategy for the same. It highlights the importance of nuclear energy in tackling the issues of rising energy demand and tackling climate change.

Economic growth leads to a greater demand for energy. Since India’s economy is growing rapidly, there will be a significant growth in our energy consumption which is already the 3^rd-highest globally.

What is the need for clean nuclear energy?

1) Rising Energy Demand: The total clean energy requirement to support a developed India would work out to around more than 4 times our present energy consumption.

2) Impact on Climate: Most of this energy consumption will be based on fossil energy, which is a major contributor to global warming. Considering this, there is now a global consensus to reach net-zero before a 2045-2070 time frame.

Failure to tackle this dual challenge would mean either compromising on development or failing to realise the net-zero target or both.

One of the most important solutions is a rapid scale-up of nuclear energy. It is the cleanest and safest of energies, with negligible waste due to a closed nuclear fuel cycle.

Based on a study by Vivekananda International Foundation and IIT-Bombay, a developed India would need 2000 GW nuclear energy to reach net-zero.

However, there is a major implementation challenge, as well as lack of determination and requisite policy/management framework.

What strategy should be followed to rapidly scale up nuclear energy?

Firstly, more projects of the indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) should be implemented leveraging multiple PSUs in addition to NPCIL.

Secondly, indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) should be built at sites that would be vacated by retiring coal plants.

Thirdly, smaller PHWR units can be offered as partially-owned captive units for energy-intensive industries such as metals, chemicals, and fertilizers.

Fourthly, reactors for direct hydrogen production without electrolysis should be developed for cheaper green hydrogen.

Fifthly, 2^nd and 3^rd stage nuclear-power programme should be sped up to utilize India’s Thorium.

Finally, emerging-economy countries should see rapid deployment of new nuclear-energy capacity to credibly address climate-change.

What should be done?

India’s PHWRs are globally competitive both in terms of performance and capital cost.

Focus on Thorium: Thorium fuel in PHWR can make these reactors even more attractive in terms of economics, safety, waste management and proliferation resistance.

International Cooperation: India should pilot international co-operation for global efforts to address the challenges.

Policy Support: It should be guided by bold policy support that provides a level-playing field for nuclear energy on par with renewable energy.

Emerging-economy countries, where one expects maximum net growth in energy consumption, should see rapid deployment of new nuclear-energy capacity to address climate-change.