Jaitapur: A risky and expensive project

Jaitapur: A risky and expensive project

Article:

Article discuss about concerns over economics and safety of the European Pressurised Reactors (EPRs).

Important Analysis:

• India has initiated the process of importing six nuclear European Pressurised Reactors (EPRs) more than a decade ago, but the project had made little progress due to concerns about the economics and safety of the EPRs.
• However, recently the government has taken several steps towards actuating the project without considering the safety factor and people concern.

Why there is concern:

• Economic Factors:
  • Jaitapur project will be more expensive than many other sources of electricity, including solar and wind power
  • While nuclear costs have been rising, other low-carbon sources of electricity, especially solar energy, have become cheaper.
  • Even across the world, EPRs have experienced delays and cost increases for Instance:
  • The first EPR entered commercial operation in December 2018 at the Taishan site in China, five years later than originally projected. Its final capital cost was estimated by industry sources to be “40% over the original estimate.
  • The EPR at Flamanville in France, for example, went from an expected start date of 2012 to 2020, and a cost estimate of €3.3 billion to €10.9 billion.
  • The British National Audit Office assessed that the project locked consumers into a risky and expensive project with uncertain strategic and economic benefits.
• Safety Issues:
  • In addition to the high costs, safety problems with the reactor design and construction have emerged in several EPRs.
  • The most serious of these pertained to the pressure vessel, which is the key barrier that prevents the spread of radioactive materials from the reactor
  • The Flamanville project was also found to have substandard welding in the reactor’s pipes.
  • The EPR at Olkiluoto in Finland encountered problems with vibrations in the pipe that connects the primary coolant system with the pressurizer, which maintains the pressure of the water circulating in the reactor.
• Compensation issue:
  • The nuclear liability law would require the public sector NPCIL to compensate victims and pay for clean-up, while largely absolving French state-run power utility EDF of responsibility.
  • The Indian law provides NPCIL with a limited opportunity to obtain compensation from EDF for the supply of equipment with defects or sub-standard services.
  • Enforcement of India’s rules are in accordance with the international Convention on Supplementary Compensation for nuclear damage, which severely limits the operator’s right of recourse.
  • Since EDF can escape with limited or no consequences even after a severe accident, it has little material incentive to maintain the highest safety standards.