India-Russia nuclear ambitions and mounting tensions in Sri Lanka
07 Jan 2013 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
KUNDANKULAM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
At the onset, I wish to draw the attention of the public to an article I wrote titled “Indian Nuclear Power Generation and the impact on Sri Lanka” on May 23, 2012 and published in the Daily Mirror Business Section. In this article I stressed the dangers due to the construction of the Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) on the south east coast of India about 30 nautical miles from the North West coast of Sri Lanka. The Minister of Power and Energy after a number of months instructed the Atomic Energy Authority (AEA) to initiate action with the relevant authorities in India on this matter and it was reported in the print media that a Sri Lankan delegation visited India and held discussions on the safety factor of the KKNPP and the Indian authorities assured that there will not be any danger to Sri Lanka. Further it is learnt that the AEA is monitoring the radioactivity in the Sri Lankan waters as the KKNPP Unit 1 of 1000 MW has now been commissioned.
As a important development to the above, it is reported that the Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a stand –alone visit to India on December 25 ,2012 for 15 hours to sign an agreement to collaborate to construct another 16 to 18 nuclear energy plants in India of 1000 MW each. At present prices the total cost of these plants is a staggering US $ 45 billion!
KKNPP Units 1 and 2 cost India US $ 1 billion each. It is also noted that for the planned third and fourth units, the Russians have already conveyed to the Indians that the prices would double as an outcome to the Indian Government invoking a new nuclear liability regime. Accordingly, the proposed “16 to 18”nuclear power plants would cost about US $ 2.5 billion each and hence the figure of US $ 45 billion.
The nuclear roadmap
It is not clear whether the proposed roadmap is for 2020 or 2025 or 2030? However, it is most likely that the roadmap will target the 2030 as the deadline.
This would mean one new joint Indo-Russian nuclear plant every year for the next 18 years apart from the KKNPP Units 3 and 4.
The 22 total Indo –Russian nuclear plants inclusive of KKNPP Units 3 and 4 would generate 22,000 MW of power which 20 per cent of the total power production.
From the Russian point of view this development is very encouraging and it means the KKNPP protests locally , nationally and internationally, are no longer a deterrent to the Indo –Russian relations and the two sides have decided to embark on a more meaningful , productive and ambitious partnership in the decades to come. To this end initially, KKNPP units 3 and 4 will be a showcase for such a partnership.
Joint statement
The statement gives a strong indication of how India and the Russian Federation would deepen and intensify cooperation in the nuclear energy sector.
It is stated that “The two sides reviewed the progress in bilateral cooperation in the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and reiterated their commitment to implementing the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on cooperation in the construction of additional nuclear power plant units at the Kundankulam site as well as in the construction of Russian designed nuclear power plants at new sites in the Republic of India, concluded on 5 December 2008, the agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in the Use of Atomic Energy for Peaceful Purposes and the Road Map for the Serial Construction of the Russian designed Nuclear power Plants in the Republic of India , concluded on March 12, 2010.”
It was further noted that both sides were satisfied with regard to the progress in constructing of the first unit of KKNPP and agreed to take necessary steps to expedite the completion and commissioning of the second unit. The two sides have already signed the protocol for the grant of State Credit from Russia to India for works. supplies and services for the construction of KKNPP Units 3 and 4 and related fuel supplies. Putin and Singh agreed to conclude expeditiously the negotiations on the techno – economic offer from Russia for the construction of KKNPP 3 and 4 of 1000 MW each.
The two sides also reiterated the commitment in incorporating the best practices in technology in construction of nuclear power plants with a view to ensuring and maintaining the highest safety standards.
To this end, India and Russia have already held the first meeting of the Joint Working Group between the Department of Atomic Energy and the State Corporation Rosatom in the field of peaceful uses of nuclear energy held in Moscow in July 1012 and the two Heads of State welcomed this outcome.
The joint statement also highlighted the complementarities between India and Russia in the energy sector as a major buyer and supplier of hydrocarbons.
At the summit of 24 December Putin and Singh also reviewed the ongoing efforts to establish joint ventures between Indian and Russian companies and reaffirmed their intention to continue the implementation of Inter –Governmental Agreement on cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector signed on December 21, 2010.
It is reported that the highly productive and successful talks on the long –term nuclear energy cooperation programme is perhaps the most important outcome for both India and Russia and a high watermark of Putin’s visit to New Delhi this month.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is suggested that the Ministry of Power and Energy should direct the Atomic Energy Authority actively, effectively and meaningfully initiate discussions on the safety concerns of the KKNPP Unit 1 which has now been commissioned as well as the future commissioning of Unit 2 and the proposed construction of Units 3 and 4 which will eventually generate 4000 MW of nuclear energy at the Kudankulam site in close proximity to the Sri Lankan coastline in the north west of the country. It is also suggested that the discussions should be held at a very high level with the relevant Indian authorities preferably through the Ministry of External Affairs of the Federal Government of India to ascertain where the other 18 nuclear power plants are to be located and whether such locations will be in close proximity to the Sri Lankan coastline in the north west, south east and the north east of the Island.
In the field of hydrocarbons, a tripartite agreement for development of hydrocarbons between India, Russian Federation and Sri Lanka in our common waters will be very interesting and innovative.
(The writer is a Retired Economic Affairs Officer United Nations ESCAP and can be reached on [email protected] )
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KUNDANKULAM NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
