INDIA’S THREE STAGE NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

INTRODUCTION: -

Energy availability is vital for human development and is the prime mover of economic growth.As population increases and economic growth continues, the demand for energy will further rise. Since agriculture, services and industrial sectors are all driven by power, there is an ever increasing need to generate more power. India is the seventh largest country in the world with an area of 3.3 million sq. km. and population of about 1.2 billion. As of today, a significant segment of this population does not have access to electricity and other clean fuels, and those who have electricity available to them face shortages of it regularly. According to the Central Electricity Authority estimates, the peaking shortage prevails in various regions of the country from 1.3% up to 26.1% (Load Generation Balance Report 2013–14). As the economy grows and more people are provided access to electricity, this gap between demand and supply will further increase. The population of India is expected to increase to about 1.5 billion by 2050. Concurrently, India is also economically growing in terms of GDP rapidly at a rate of about 6–8% a year. Sustaining the economic growth at current rate is essential to meet the country’s primary objectives of poverty alleviation and improving the quality of life. For its growing population, increased attention needs to be paid to provide energy, especially electricity supply.

Fig- Break-up of installed power capacity (MW) in India as on January 31, 2011.

The present resources in the country’s energy mix being used for producing electricity are illustrated in figure 2 (Energy Statistics Report 2012). Coal is the main resource being used at present and coal-fired plants will continue to be the primary source of electricity production in the country for quite some time to come, The Integrated Energy Policy (Integrated Energy Policy 2006) indicates that at a growth rate of 5% in domestic production, currently extractable coal resources will be exhausted in about 45 years. Vigorous efforts are required to survey and to identify additional potential coal bearing areas. Nearly 80 per cent of the oil is imported in the country, which is an area of concern for the Government with regard to energy security in the near future. Addition of hydro potential has the limitation which is determined by rainfall and topography of the location of water sources. Other renewable energy sources like wind have similar limitations of growth and energy supply. In comparison, Nuclear energy theoretically offers India the most potent means for long term energy security. Renewable energy source like solar energy also holds a promise as a possible inexhaustible energy source for a tropical countrylike India. Use of extensive solar energy may call for change in pattern of energy consumptionand urbanization. Thus, Nuclear energy, in view of its huge potential and techno-commercial viability, will play an increasingly important role in the future. The rate of growth of nuclear share at the primary level is expected to be rapid as conventional fossil fuel sources, particularly coal, approach exhaustion, or their extraction tends to become uneconomical.

OBJECTIVE :-

Nuclear energy is becoming an ever important source of primary energy. This is very effective in addressing the problems of global climatic changes and global warming. Electricity shortage is not the only problem. Its spread is an equally serious issue. The per capita consumption of energy in India is one of the lowest in the world. The electricity consumption per capita for India is just 566 KWh and is far below most other countries or regions in the world. Even though 85% of villages are considered electrified, around 57% of the rural households and 12% of urban households, i.e. 84 million households in the country, do not have access to electricity. Electricity consumption in India is expected to rise to around 2280 BKWh by 2021-22 and around 4500 BKWh by 2031-32.The main objective behind selecting this as a project is to have approach to study and analyze the energy mix, current energy consumption pattern of India. India, with its vast population and limited natural resources for meeting its energy requirements, needs to maintain its momentum of growth and this can be made possible only with a clear strategy for use of best possible energy options available. India needs to have a long term strategy for meeting its energy needs by 2050 and a short term goal of 2020 which can be small steps towards attaining energy security by 2050.Main objective is to seek for viable, feasible reliable and clean energy options for India through the statistical and analytical study.

MOTIVATION:-

The main motivation is, there is a well-established link between per capita electricity consumption and human development. To meet our large electricity production needs, we have to tap all energy resources available to us. While coal-fired thermal power plants, apart from hydro, would remain the mainstay for our electricity production for quite some time, we would need to supplement them with sizeable additional resources to assure long-term energy-security as well as environmental protection. In this energy mix, nuclear power has an important role to play in the coming years. The Indian uranium reserves are modest and cannot make an overly significant contribution to electricity requirements, if this uranium is used once in a nuclear reactor and then disposed of as waste. However, with a carefully planned program, the available uranium can be used to harness the energy contained in non-fissile thorium, of which India possesses about 30 per cent of the world’s reserves. The first stage of this program involves using the indigenous uranium in Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), which produce not only energy but also fissile plutonium. In the second stage, by reprocessing the spent nuclear fuel and using there covered plutonium in Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR), the non-fissile depleted uranium an thorium can breed additional fissile nuclear fuel plutonium and uranium-233 respectively. In the third stage, thorium and uranium-233 based nuclear reactors can meet India’s

long-term energy requirements. Sustainable development of the country’s economy requires nuclear energy, and sustainable development of nuclear energy requires closing the nuclear fuel cycle with thorium utilization Indian concerns and priorities are, thus, quite unique. For its long-term energy security India has no option but to deploy nuclear power according to a strategy precisely tuned to its needs and resources.

LITERATURE SURVEY:-

The step in this project was an extensive study of up-to-date relevant literature and background material. This was necessary in order to deepen my understanding of the topic and highlight any new interesting or useful facts. For the purposes of this project mainly available reports on the nuclear were read and consulted. However, other reports on a variety of topics including: environmental impacts of nuclear were also examined. Out of vast literature survey that has been referred, few important ones are noted below which are worth in project report.

1. P.R.Chari ,”The protection of fissile material: The Indian experience” This book gives the fundamentals information about the overall three stage nuclear program which is very important to learn the mechanism and the process involved in energy generation.

2. S.K.Jain ,”The nuclear power in India- the fourth revolution” This book gives the idea about the energy consumption pattern of India.

3. K.S.Rajan,”Three stage Indian nuclear programme” This book gives the more detailed information about the three stages of nuclear program along with the basic components and the technological aspects and terms used in nuclear industry.

METHODOLOGY:-

TIME PERIOD:- From 15 June 2015- 15 Aug 2015 :-1. At inception of case study of India’s three stage nuclear program, we’ll study the and try to

understand the basic terms and process related to the topic.2. We’ll try to collect more and more information about nuclear field and analysis to that

information.3. Comparative study based on statistical analysis with the other forms of energy [solar .geo-

thermal, thermal, wind, conventional sources like fossil fuels.]4. We’ll try to publish 1st paper in magazine related to our topic.

From 15 Sep 2015 -15 Jan 2016:-

1. During this period we’ll focus on the detailed study and analysis of three stage nuclear program.

2. We’ll also try to study the other concepts like Energy Amplifier and Spallation neutron source, which may be the technological solution to overcome complexities of breeder program.

3. We’ll also give attention towards conferences and international magazines publications in order to publish our work.

4. We’ll try to develop the model for three stage nuclear program; it involves designing, fabrication, welding etc.

From 15 Feb 2016-15 Mar 2016:-1. We’ll try to visit nuclear power facilities in India[like BARC ,Jaitapur Project ].2. We’ll try to complete our work related to project by the feb end, we’ll seek for different

computations.3. Towards the end we’ll contact expertise in nuclear field for analysis and guidance for final

project demonstrations.

PROJECT GROUP:-1.Praful Bhuchude2. Hrushikesh Fatale3.Parag Meshram