India Nuclear News and Discussion 4 July 2011

Nitesh · Post by **Nitesh** » 06 May 2013 10:58

more news coming in:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 907564.cms

The big question is now what? Will these guys retort to more anarchy or quitely go in to oblivion.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 May 2013 11:34

Nitesh, they will not quietly go into oblivion. In fact, they will escalate now. They need to be dealt with very sternly. Nothing else will work.

Nitesh · Post by **Nitesh** » 06 May 2013 11:53

Sridhar saar

That is the issue, we can only hope that they will not resort to more aggressive means, but I think that legal options have been exhausted by now, or they can create more troubles in court still.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 May 2013 12:02

Legal action is something else. I am worried about violence and putting the safety of the installation in danger, sabotage etc.

JE Menon · Post by **JE Menon** » 06 May 2013 16:02

SP Udayakumar has alreadby been on Timesnow rejecting the verdict and claiming all sorts of irregularities, from corruption, to shoddy products being imported from Russian companies, to you name it...

Of course, it will come to nothing ... i.e. just hot air. I guess he is useful to GOI as a lightning rod, to see from where the lightning is coming exactly

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 06 May 2013 16:29

Tamil newspapers are reporting what JEM has posted above. Plus, they are also saying that Udayakumar has said that the SC's decision iis nothing and it is the verdict of the people which matters and that is against KKNPP.

There is no point in soft pedalling this issue anymore. We cannot tolerate any more delay.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 May 2013 07:05

Fear of Nuclear Disaster has no Basis: Supreme Court - The Hindu

The Bench disposing of petitions challenging the commissioning of Kudankulam NPP said: “Few of them raised the apprehension that it might repeat accidents like the one that had happened at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, Union Carbide and Fukushima and so on. Apprehension, however, legitimate it may be, cannot override the justification of the project. Nobody on this earth can predict what would happen in future and to a larger extent we have to leave it to the destiny. But once the justification test is satisfied, the apprehension test is bound to fail.”

The Bench said, “We may, however, caution that it is of utmost importance that the Union of India, NPCIL etc. should find out a place for a permanent deep geological repository. Storing of Spent Nuclear Fuel at NPP site will, in the long run, poses dangerous, long-term health and environmental risks. NPCIL and the Union of India are bound to look at the probabilities of potentially harmful events and the consequences in future. Noticeably, NPCIL does not seem to have a long-term plan, other than, stating and hoping that in the near future, it would establish a DGR.”

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 May 2013 07:08

Verdict, a Shot in the Arm: AEC Chairman - The Hindu

“NPCIL engineers completed all the tests this morning” on the first unit, a top DAE official said on Sunday. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) had stipulated that the NPCIL perform certain additional tests on the reactor and the tests were completed on Sunday. Kudankulam engineers met the AERB officials later in the day on Sunday in Mumbai and presented reports to the AERB on completion of the tests.

“The AERB will soon take a view on the matter,” said a top DAE official. The NPCIL engineers will meet the AERB officials again on Wednesday or Thursday, and the AERB may then give clearance for the first unit at Kudankulam to reach criticality.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 07 May 2013 08:39

Much of what is present in the SC judgement could be considered as common sense, and now for benefit of people the nuclear power plant can begin to provide electricity to Indians in some states.

However care must be taken that no one takes any action against the letter and spirit of judgement of the SC. People should now come out directly against anyone running riots and spreading lies, whether Indian or foreigner. In fact people have paid enormously for lack of electricity in terms of localized fuel/generators imported throughout the state or in terms of lack of progress directly. Europeans interfering now should be taken to courts and disruptive activities from Europe must be smashed from its roots. How long will people have to suffer fbecause of disruptive and deceitful activities from Europe just because rabble rousers don't get it?

The SC judgment also should give a better perspective to indegenous R&D in nuclear research field. Progress in this field will also have clarity.

Prem Kumar · Post by **Prem Kumar** » 07 May 2013 09:27

SSridhar wrote:Legal action is something else. I am worried about violence and putting the safety of the installation in danger, sabotage etc.

+1. That's the biggest worry. The Evangelicals would go to any length to extract revenge. I wouldnt rule out sabotage. We need to be super careful in screening & other safety measures - forever

Remember Stuxnet worm and Iranian centrifuges. Something like that can be used to discredit Russian equipment and call into question the safety of KNPP

KLP Dubey · Post by **KLP Dubey** » 07 May 2013 21:07

SSridhar wrote:Tamil newspapers are reporting what JEM has posted above. Plus, they are also saying that Udayakumar has said that the SC's decision iis nothing and it is the verdict of the people which matters and that is against KKNPP.

These type of activities go beyond the usual criminal definitions. They are anti-national and treasonous activities and should be handled differently. These anti-nationals, as well as Europeans and other extra-nationals involved (if present in India), should be arrested and held in a facility similar to those used by USA for such cases. Organizations and individuals acting externally should be blacklisted and banned from any operations in India.

The Kudankulam area is not far from south KL (e.g., Trivandrum). What a world of difference in a 40 mile drive. The place is extremely backward and ideal breeding ground for "mosquitoes". No wonder it is overrun by "frockmen".

krisna · Post by **krisna** » 11 May 2013 19:52

Pokharan blasts anniversary today. have not seen any news regarding this.
It is also the national technology day.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 14 May 2013 06:09

Nuclear Fuel Complex to step up production, plans 2 new facilities.

Nuclear Fuel Complex, the sole supplier of fuel to the country’s nuclear power plants, has firmed up plans to establish two major fuel fabrication facilities to meet the expected jump in nuclear power production.

A 500-tonne/year fabrication facility at Kota in Rajasthan, with an investment of Rs 1,600 crore, is all set to take off. It will also have a 65-tonne/year Zircalloy plant. The second is a much larger, 1,250-tonne/year facility, said N. Saibaba, Chief Executive of NFC.

The bigger unit is likely to come up in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh. The process of site selection and evaluation has begun. It will also have a Zircalloy production unit, he told Business Line here today.

These steps are needed to meet the expansion plans of the Nuclear Power Corporation, the producer of nuclear power. The Corporation plans to add at least 10 units of 700 MW and Presssurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) in the coming decade.

These reactors are expected to come up in Gorakhpur, Haryana (2), Chutka, Madhya Pradesh (2), Mahi Banswara, Rajasthan (2), Kakrapar, Gujarat (2) and Bhimpur, Madhya Pradesh (2). The last two units are yet to be cleared by the atomic energy regulator, Saibaba said.

The immediate challenge is to meet the fuel needs of the four units (700 MW) coming up at Rajasthan (units 7&8) and Kakrapar (3&4). The NPC has targeted to commission them by 2016-17. “We expect to ready the Kota facility by that time. However, the initial demand would be met from the existing Hyderabad facility,” the NFC Chief said.

At present, the Hyderabad-based, NFC supplies fuel to the 19 operational power plants run by the NPC, which has 20 plants with an installed capacity of 4800 MW.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 14 May 2013 21:52

Coming to India’s aid on KNPP’s spent nuclear fuel

krishnan · Post by **krishnan** » 15 May 2013 19:31

Production from the power pant has been pushed back to next month

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 20 May 2013 09:08

Former U.S. National Security Leaders Object to ‘More Restrictive’ Nuclear Trade Policies

http://news.yahoo.com/former-u-national ... 56752.html

WASHINGTON -- A half-dozen former U.S. national security leaders last month implored President Obama to avoid tightening restrictions on foreign nuclear cooperation in the interest of nonproliferation.“The U.S. civil nuclear industry is one of [Washington’s] most powerful tools for advancing its nuclear nonproliferation agenda,” according to an April 25 letter obtained this week by Global Security Newswire.“It is critical to adopt policies that will strengthen that tool,” the missive reads. “Weakening it will merely cede foreign markets to other suppliers less concerned about nonproliferation than the United States.”The appeal to Obama reportedly was circulated for signature by the president and chief executive officer of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, John Hamre, according to sources familiar with the initiative. It appears on CSIS letterhead.
Issue experts, though, said the eight writers appear to be concerned about an ongoing Obama administration internal policy review regarding its approach to negotiating atomic trade pacts with other nations.Lawmakers repeatedly have called on the federal branch to strengthen its pursuit of the so-called nonproliferation “gold standard,” in which a trade partner receives access to sensitive U.S. nuclear materials or technologies only in exchange for a promise not to produce atomic fuel on its own soilEnriching uranium or reprocessing plutonium can be used in civil nuclear power generation, but these activities also could open the door to a clandestine atomic weapons effort, as is widely suspected in Iran and elsewhere.Some critics are already questioning, though, why the former national security leaders have set their sights on nonproliferation measures as a chief hindrance to U.S. nuclear sales overseas, when competitors such as France, Russia and South Korea enjoy financial advantages that substantially reduce their prices.“The problem is not nonproliferation but foreign subsidies of [the] U.S. [industry’s] competitors,” said the congressional source. “That’s the real problem that needs to be solved.”One gold-standard advocate, Henry Sokolski, questioned the letter’s contention that U.S. nuclear sales to foreign nations must be a principal vehicle for Washington in stanching proliferation.“You'd think after our wretched experience with civil nuclear programs in Iran, India, Iraq, Pakistan and our past near-calls with Taiwan and South Korea's programs, this would be the last thing anyone truly opposed to nuclear weapons proliferation would push,” said Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 29 May 2013 10:17

Russia’s three red lines for the Kudankulam N Plant

Three Red Lines

KNPP 1 is ready. All it is waiting for is a nod from the stakeholders for commissioning it. This nod has more political considerations than considerations of technocrats and bureaucrats. There is still some work to be done before the plant actually starts producing electricity.

The Russians cannot take it as a finished business till three things happen. One, the
people's protests should get over. Signals emanating from the plant site in southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu are to the contrary.

The activists have vowed to intensify their agitation. M.Pushparayan of the People's Movement
Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) and one of the prominent local leaders who have been spearheading the agitation against the Kudankulam plant, criticized the court judgment and said the agitation will continue. "It is a delayed and unjust judgment. It will not bind us and our protest against the project will continue," Pushpanarayan said, adding that 25 school children had submitted a petition to the Tirunelveli district collector to shut down the nuclear plant due to its "substandard" equipment.

Two, the four safety valves in Kudankulam Unit 1, which have been found to be defective by
India's apex nuclear body Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, have to be rectified as soon as possible so that the plant can be commissioned. Russia has an important role to play in this context because the valves for the nuclear reactor were supplied by the Russian company ZiO-Podolsk. G Sunderrajan, an IT professional and the main petitioner in the case before the Indian Supreme Court, had put ZiO-Podolsk in the dock for allegedly supplying "sub-standard
equipment" for the Kudankulam plant.

Three, the Indian Supreme Court has issued 15 guidelines on commissioning, safety and security and environmental issues concerning the Kudankulam plant and has directed the government that the plant should not be made operational unless AERB, Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and department of atomic energy (DAE) accord final clearance and the quality of various components and systems is fully ensured.

Problems Galore

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) chairman S.S.Bajaj went on record as saying thus in Chennai on May 7, 2013: "As of now, the test reports and the results submitted by NPCIL relating to the first unit of KNPP are satisfactory. A team of experts will be going to KNPP Monday. If all things go well, it will be in matter days we will issue the sanction for the reactor beginning the fission process."

Bajaj also said KNPP 1 will be given five-year operational license and added that the license period may be restricted, if needed, based on the plant's performance parameters. Besides, Bajaj said the test reports submitted by NPCIL about KNPP will show whether the performance of the equipments are as per design specifications or they vary. In case the test results are at variance with those of the design specifications, then corrective actions have to be taken by NPCIL.

G.Sundarrajan, the main petitioner in the case, has questioned the AERB procedure in this context, saying "The NPCIL is the purchaser of the equipments and there will be a conflict of interest if it has to certify the component quality,"

D. Nagasaila, an advocate for one of the litigants in the case, said: "The KNPP is a learning exercise for everybody. Perhaps is the first time where a nuclear power project was taken to the court and other forums. Many of the documents pertaining to the project that were kept under wraps were made public because of the case and the people's struggle."

Clearly, there is still some work to be done by the Indians who are hopeful for an early commissioning of the plant. For its part, however, the Indian government has made it clear to all the stakeholders in the Kudankulam plant that they should not bother about deadlines and ensure that all safety parameters are rigorously adhered to before the plant is made operational.

The Bushehr Example

For Russia, Kudankulam nuclear power plant in India is as important as Bushehr nuclear plant in Iran has been for two decades. Both plants, built with Russian expertise and equipment, have taken much longer than usual for completing the construction, though for different reasons.

German companies had initiated work on the Bushehr plant way back in 1975 but the work came to a grinding halt in 1979 in view of the political upheavals in the country climaxing in the Islamic revolution. The new Iranian leadership approached the Russians and a contract for finishing the plant was signed between Iran and the Russian Ministry for Atomic Energy in 1995, with Russia's Atomstroyexport named as the main contractor. After fits and starts, the Russian-built Bushehr nuclear plant was officially opened in a ceremony on 12 September 2011, attended by Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko and head of the Rosatom Sergei Kiriyenko.

Russian Stakes

The Russians have immense stakes over the Kudankulam project. New Delhi has recently okayed a plan to go ahead with the 3rd and 4th units of KNPP of 1000 MWe each, at a hefty price tag of $ 3.69 billion each.

The Indians want to award the project to the Russians. The negotiations are already taking place. A major deterrent factor for the Russians is the Indian nuclear liability laws.

All said and done, it is a lucrative opportunity for the Russians which they cannot afford to squander away.
Read more: http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_05_28/Russi ... lant-9364/

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 01 Jul 2013 12:20

Former Indian Nuclear Boss Highlights Problems at Kudankulam Plant

The former chief of India's nuclear regulator has come out with fresh allegations that the Russian-built nuclear plant at Kudankulam is unsafe, though he has blamed the Indians, not the Russians.

A. Gopalakrishnan, retired head of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, published an article last week in The New Indian Express in which he said the plant was in serious safety trouble because its instrumentation and control design package, which came from Russia, were faulty.

Gopalakrishnan laid the blame on the Indians, particularly the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, which owns and runs all nuclear power plants in the country.

"Russians are very well-organized and systematic, and they rigidly follow the rules and expect others also to do so. While Indians, too, have rules and regulations on paper, to expedite work or to minimize cost, they would not hesitate to bend or break rules," he said.

Gopalakrishnan said there was a persistent problem with electrical emissions and the cabling system, which should be redone.

"This may take several more months and extensive reworking, but this must be done in the interest of public safety," he said.

krishnan · Post by **krishnan** » 01 Jul 2013 12:44

Problem is the contractors ..... trying to save as much as possible

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 03 Jul 2013 10:04

The Kudankulam Stand Off ( Pg 14 )

http://www.geopolitics.in/july2013.aspx

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 06 Jul 2013 19:57

Cross-posting as this is important for India to watch...

Amber G. wrote:
Narayana Rao wrote:Salt/Thorium based power generation process was under way for sometime. But we hear no news item. no developments ???
Actually there is major news, as far as thorium. Thorium fuel is now being tested in the Halden reactor in Norway. It was loaded very recently ... start of a physical test operations in a power reactor.
The test will provide information necessary for this new fuel material for commercial use in current reactors.

For example check out: this or this

Nitesh · Post by **Nitesh** » 08 Jul 2013 16:58

** Deleted **

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 08 Jul 2013 21:22

Britain (also !) lobbied for nuclear export group to admit India in last NSG meeting

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 09 Jul 2013 02:31

Looks like Kerry visit was not covered here in this thread.

Pioneer reports:

AP 1000 reactors injurious to India's health

Forget the headline read the text...

AP1000 reactors injurious to India’s N-health?
Saturday, 06 July 2013 | Kumar Chellappan | CHENNAI

The nuclear reactor industry in the United States of America is on cloud nine following the success of State Secretary John Kerry’s recent visit to India. Kerry’s Mission to New Delhi was to sell nuclear reactors built by Westinghouse Electric Company to India. He completed the mission with élan. It could be understood from the words of the top bosses of the WEC. “Secretary Kerry’s efforts to move discussions forward with an announced goal of reaching commercial agreement in the September timeframe to support licensing and site development of AP1000 reactors in India are proving to be invaluable,” Westinghouse President and CEO Danny L Roderick told Energy Daily, a venerated e-newsletter.

The Energy Daily quotes top honchos of US nuclear industry lauding the US administration’s efforts to push through their products in India and other countries. “Efforts of a range of United States Government officials and agencies in helping Westinghouse and other US-based companies pursue business in the global commercial nuclear energy market is paying off. John Kerry’s visit to India is the most recent example of this support,” the e-newsletter said in its recent issue.

Westinghouse and Nuclear Power Company of India Limited (NPCIL) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) last year to negotiate an Early Works Agreement (EWA) supporting future construction of AP1000 nuclear power plants at the Mithivirdi site in Gujarat. The finalisation of the contract will help generate 200,000 direct and indirect jobs in the USA even as the agreement will sound the death bell of India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Energy Programme conceptualised and visualised by Dr Homi Bhabha, the father figure of India’s nuclear programme.

“Imported nuclear reactors never had any place in Dr Bhabha’s Three-State Nuclear Programme. He knew very well that India has to chart its own course in harnessing nuclear energy as it did not have uranium resources of its own. That’s is why Dr Bhabha prepared a brilliant nuclear programme in which imported uranium fuel would power the country’s indigenously developed reactors. The next state (second stage) was breeder reactors using mixed oxide developed from the spent fuel collected from the first generation reactors and thorium, which is abundantly available in India. The third and last state was thorium-based nuclear reactors which use the vast thorium resources in the country,” said CR Neelakantan, a nuclear reactor engineer-turned- anti-nuclear activist.

He said the import of Westinghouse built AP 1000 nuclear reactors would make India a perpetual slave of the US nuclear industry. “Our time tested pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) programme will come to a standstill. The 2008 Indo-US nuclear agreement has already sabotaged the prospect of the 500 MW Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu which should have been commissioned in 2009,” said Neelakantan.

The US nuclear reactor industry is in a state of paralysis because of lack of demand from domestic sector. Stringent waste management and safety regulations like the Nuclear Waste Administration Act of 2013 has made it mandatory for reactor operators to have repositories for storing nuclear waste. The Federal Nuclear Regulator in the USA on August 7, 2012, froze the licenses issued by the Government to nearly 30 nuclear power plants following verification that they do not possess geological repositories to store nuclear waste as mandated by the US Supreme Court. This has made nuclear power an unviable business in the US. Hence the US federal Government is on a mission to push such reactors to countries like India. It may be remembered that the USA had declared India as an international pariyah following the 1998 Pokhran Neclear test conducted as per the orders of the NDA Government led by AB Vajpayee.

The UPA Government led by Manmohan Singh surrendered the sovereignty of the country to the US by signing the Civil Nuclear Deal with which India has become a vassal of the US. Manmohan Singh, on the verge of completing his second and last tenure as Prime Minister is in the process of driving the last nail in the coffin of the country’s home-grown nuclear industry.

Imported nuclear reactors had not augured well for India and this has been proved by the dilly-dallying over the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. Though the agreement for the reactor was signed in 1987, it is miles away from commissioning notwithstanding the thumping of chests both by Singh and Narayanasamy, his oracle, in the PMO.

Even if India agrees to buy the Westinghouse reactors, the selection of site, the water for cooling the reactors and setting up of desalination plants for the same are issues which may take years to decide. Meanwhile, works for the first-ever thorium powered reactor has started in Indonesia and Chile. Since thorium powered reactor technology has been standardised and it costs a fraction of what it takes to build conventional nuclear reactor, what Manmohan Singh does is a kind of gambling which would lead to the destruction of the indigenous nuclear energy programme.

Gives context to above post about NPA mullahs whining baout selling nuclear technology abroad.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Jul 2013 12:31

Tamil vernacular newspapers are reporting that steps to attain criticality within next 48 hours are on at KKNPP since mid-night last night.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 12 Jul 2013 17:53

India-Australia meet soon on Uranium export pact - Business Line

India and Australia will meet at the end of the month to take forward the discussions on firming up a nuclear co-operation agreement that will allow Australian uranium to be exported to India.

“The first round of talks took place in March. Those negotiations started off very well (and have been) very constructive and positive. Both had agreed that it (the agreement) should be concluded as rapidly as possible. We need to negotiate a simple nuclear agreement and once that is agreed (it will) enable companies to sell uranium to Indian companies. What date (agreement actually happens) will be subject to corporate and commercial decisions,” Patrick Suckling, Australia High Commissioner, said at a press conference here on Friday.

It was late in 2011 that the Australian Government reversed the ban on sale of uranium to India.
Trade barriers

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 13 Jul 2013 05:35

Nuclear Fission process Begins at Kudankulam - Business Line

A day after the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board gave the green signal for the commissioning of Unit 1 of the controversial Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, authorities today set in motion work on taking it to First Approach to Criticality (FAC).

“Work on taking the first reactor to criticality stage commenced today and it will be completed in 72 hours,” R S. Sundar, site director of KKNP, told reporters.

He expressed happiness over AERB’s clearance yesterday for the Rs 14,000-crore Indo-Russian joint venture project.

Officials said controlled nuclear fission process began today at the 1,000 MW unit. This was the first step towards power production, they said

As part of precautionary measures, a large contingent of police has been deployed in and around the plant, which has witnessed a series of protests, citing safety concerns.

People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy, spearheading the protests against the plant, in a statement termed AERB’s clearance for FAC as “authoritarian” and “anti-democratic’’.

AERB had earlier granted the final permission for ‘Initial Fuel Loading’ for Unit 1 in September last year.

Reviews were carried out by specialist groups and the Advisory Committee for Project Safety Review of AERB at the facility.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 13 Jul 2013 22:37

Kudankulam goes ‘critical’ – what next?

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 13 Jul 2013 23:27

Finally after about two-year delay , we may see the wait is over for India's new reactors at Kudankulam to start as it has been authorised to 'approach first criticality' at unit 1.

Permission was granted by AERB to commence chain reaction in the reactor core and begin a program of low-power tests tthe other day. Now hopefully we see the next stages (over several weeks' time - and with separate permissions, ) which will result in reactor at full power and finally handed over to its owner (Nuclear Power Corporation of India

For perspective this unit (1 of 2 VVER-1000 PWR) - agreement was signed in 1988, construction began in 2002 and completed around March 2011...

<del>

In any case, allow me to quote the supreme court of India after all the tamasa ... wise words coming out from here when all is said and done ..

"There is need for nuclear energy for the welfare of the public and for the welfare of the people of India.
Also:
"apprehension expressed by some sections of the public... has no basis."

This brf oldie looks for a day when both units are in operation and will supply 1900 MWe to the great states like Taminadu and others in India..

Jai Hind.

baiting the mods is not appreciated. neither is acting as a messenger-boy for other addas on the net.
if you have feedback regarding moderation kindly put it in the appropriate thread.
I didn't issue an warning this time considering your seniority but this can't continue. you have been warned before,
- Rahul.

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 13 Jul 2013 23:43

Also from news..and of interest here..
Pakistan's top-level Executive Committee has approved funds to purchase two new nuclear power reactors from China.
(These are 1100 MWe ACP1000 units supplied by China and built at or near Karachi)

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 14 Jul 2013 00:00

No international protests as far as Pakistan and Chinese cooperation goes, just for the record.

sanjaykumar · Post by **sanjaykumar** » 14 Jul 2013 00:01

Probably because they will likely never be built-the mysterious bad good Taliban will see to it, wink wink nudge nudge.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 14 Jul 2013 01:04

United States asks India to deliver commercial promise of civil N-deal
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/united-state ... 166-3.html

US has asked India to deliver the commercial promise of the historic civil nuclear agreement between the two countries. "For my Indian colleagues, I would emphasise the importance of delivering on the commercial promise of this agreement -- to put it in the American vernacular, we need to finish what we started," Geoffrey Pyatt, US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, said at a meeting held on the sidelines of the 38th annual US India Business Council (USIBC) on Thursday.
"The 2005 nuclear deal the successful collaboration that produced the 2008 Nuclear Suppliers Group exception and the Obama Administration's rapid negotiation of reprocessing arrangements completed in 2010 are illustrations of what we can accomplish when we work together in the spirit of shared enterprise," he said.
India and the US are now tantalisingly close to the first commercial contracts between India's Nuclear Power Corporation and a major US nuclear supplier, Pyatt said. "The prompt conclusion of these early commercial contracts should be a priority for both our governments and would be an important signal to sceptics that the US-India strategic partnership is living up to its promise and delivering real benefits for people in both our countries," Pyatt said in his remarks.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 14 Jul 2013 09:50

Isnt Indo-US commercial issue on Nuclear Reactor is stuck on liability clause or for that matter any reactor built after Kudankulam ?

Another issue seems to be reprocessing of spent fuel from Reactors , atleast in case with US if IIC

nvishal · Post by **nvishal** » 14 Jul 2013 11:35

ramana wrote:AP 1000 reactors injurious to India's health

Regarding the three stage process reactor(FBR/thorium fuel cycle), we've been at it for around 50 years. I understand that we are now in stage two. Any information when we'll be satisfied with the stockpile raised in stage two so we can commence stage three?

I think the gods never wanted india to run on uranium.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 15 Jul 2013 01:51

At one point of time, ties of India and USA seemed to be heading for trouble. link

The issues then were Iran oil imports, FDI in India and nuclear deal out of NSG ie nuclear blackmail club.

Where are Indian interests now that these issues seem to have been resolved a little.

Now the issues seem to have changed, after quite trip of Kerry about AP 1000 reactors.

chaanakya · Post by **chaanakya** » 15 Jul 2013 21:14

Just to put things in perspective, India has added 55 GW of thermal capacity during 11th Plan period, for the first time , against planned 70GW. Nuclear was Nil. During 12th Plan period 88 GW might be achieved most of which are planned for thermal.

I would certainly like to see 20 GW form Nuclear that would make 5% of total capacity . But I doubt it. KKNPP took about 30 years to finish. I hope new additions ares lot more faster than what has been the case so far and if Nuclear Scam doesn't hit this sector as UPA is in habit of.

Theo_Fidel · Post by **Theo_Fidel** » 15 Jul 2013 21:59

Well somebody else is going to have to give their 5,000 acres of land for more nuke power.
The conflict is over KKNPP-3 & 4.
Never going to happen in this location and under present NPCIL/AEC approach.

As I said before NPCIL won the battle but lost the war.

Amber G. · Post by **Amber G.** » 17 Jul 2013 06:51

Rahul_M commenting on my message wrote:Finally after about two-year ...<amberG's post:..

delay , we may see the wait is over for India's new reactors at Kudankulam to start as it has been authorised to 'approach first criticality' at unit 1.
<edited - The discussion was about starting of Kudankulama plant and some editorial comment by me as a my perspective as physics professor and about unnecessary delay .. I am leaving the the end part including Rahul_M's comments

<del>

In any case, allow me to quote the supreme court of India after all the tamasa ... wise words coming out from here when all is said and done ..

"There is need for nuclear energy for the welfare of the public and for the welfare of the people of India.
Also:
"apprehension expressed by some sections of the public... has no basis."
This brf oldie looks for a day when both units are in operation and will supply 1900 MWe to the great states like Taminadu and others in India..

Jai Hind.

Rahul's comment starts:

baiting the mods is not appreciated. neither is acting as a messenger-boy for other addas on the net.
if you have feedback regarding moderation kindly put it in the appropriate thread.
I didn't issue an warning this time considering your seniority but this can't continue. you have been warned before,
- Rahul.

Rahulji - It will be helpful if you told me (and the forum)

1. EXACTlLY what I wrote was "baiting the mods"
(So that people avoid doing that - Trust me, we all want brf a good and friendly place )
and
2. How ad hominem attack, if not outright churlish language .. like calling a fellow poster here a "MESSENGER BOY" not against brf rules?

No I did not have feedback "regarding moderation" and my post was about the topic on hand (that is, the silliness delayed the start of the power plant by two years.

Trust me, we do not have time to play silly games .. No one is baiting "the mod" in this thread.
Rahul_M (and Archan), you have posted ZERO topic related stuff in this dhaga.. ans it seems that all you do is come here and feel that, people are "baiting you".

Please read, really read this wise consul to you given in the brf post by one of the most respected brfite:
http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 43#p511743

And let others discuss things on topic. Only reason I am here is to do my bit per Ramana's request to educate people here.

Sridharjii - Thanks for being one of the few mods here (apart from Gerard, or course) for posting on topic. Please use your leadership to influence the atmosphere here in brf .. so that it is inviting to all including internationally respected Indian scientists.

To many decent folks have left.

Finally, if Rahul is offended by my presence here, and wants to show his admin power ... time has come to take a sanyas for me from brf ... at least for the time being. As I said I really do not have time to play silly games.

If some mod wants to educate Rahulji on proper use of language, be my guest but I really don't care.

Good bye for now.

Jai Hind.

PS. Rahulji is correct, I just checked my pm ..I been warned before... for this
http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 7#p1303887

I am speechless.. Please tell me EXACTLY what was objectionable...???

and again here:
http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 0#p1303760

Sridhar - I will appreciate if you can PLEASE tell me exactly what required a warning here.

I am truly speechless,

Gentle readers, please do read these posts... I do not want to embarrass the mod further.

Rahul/Archan - I really think you must tell here .. exactly what part was worthy of warning ... so that others do not make the same mistake.

(If other mods find hat this was abuse of power and was done just to be spiteful - please do what you should do)

****Added Later, As I said, I am taking a sanyas from brf for now, but I will lurk here and see if Sridhar does post answer to my query. Thanks..

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 18 Jul 2013 01:35

Hindu reports:

Kudanulam goes critical. Set for August end commissioning

Wow a great milestone. Start up of a PWR is very challenging and exciting process.

The first unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu attained first criticality late Saturday night, setting the stage for its commissioning before August-end.

(Our Tirunelveli Special Correspondent P. Sudhakar reports that the plant attained criticality at 11.05 p.m. Plant sources said the operation was very smooth.)

Plant Director R.S. Sundar said earlier that power production would now be increased in stages. In the first stage, the 1,000-MWe plant would be synchronised with the southern grid with 400 MWe in another 30-45 days. Power production would subsequently be stepped up to 50 per cent, 75 per cent, 90 per cent, and finally 100 per cent.

The process began on Thursday night, and the final countdown started around noon on Saturday, with the commencement of multiplication of neutron in the reactor.

This is the 21st nuclear power reactor in the country, and when it goes on stream, India’s total capacity of nuclear power will go up to 5,780 MWe. It is the first pressurised water reactor belonging to the light-water reactor category and has been set up with Russian technical cooperation.

A Nuclear Power Corporation of India release said the reactor incorporated enhanced safety features in line with the current international standards. “These are Generation III + reactors incorporating a combination of active safety systems as well as passive safety systems like Passive Heat Removal System (PHRS), Hydrogen Re-Combiner, Core Catcher, Hydro Accumulators, and Quick Boron Injection System

PHRS is also called Residual heat removal system and brings down the temperature to ambient.
Hydrogen Recombiner is a safety system to ensure no build of gases.
Core Catcher is the metal bucket to prevent China Syndrome or melting core dropping to the bottom
Quick Boron Injection System is also a safety injection system to slow down any potential run away reactions.
I don't know about Hydro Accumulators. Could be passive pressure devices/tanks which don't need the pumps to work. Again a safety system.