Bengal power minister shorts CPM's nuclear theory

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The Congress got the CPI(M) into a political tangle by popping a loaded question in the legislative assembly: Does West Bengal need nuclear power?

Power minister Mrinal Banerjee, a senior CPI(M) leader, had to say yes, the state needs nuclear power, given the ground reality of the state's energy position.

Banerjee, in his detailed reply, went against the official CPI(M) doctrine that nuclear power is questionable because it will be expensive, and that India should go for renewable energy sources and rely more on coal.

The CPI(M)'s line: "Coal-based power stations can produce power at about Rs. 2.50 per unit at the power plant end; nuclear energy will cost between Rs. 5.10 to Rs 5.50 per unit."

"India has large reserves of coal, which will last us for at least 100 years. India has also large untapped hydroelectric power sources…," the CPI(M) has said it a document captioned `Nuclear energy and the Electricity Sector: False Promises.'

The CPI(M)'s arguments solidified during its protest against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's civilian nuclear deal with the US last year. The deal has been finalised but is yet to be signed, with CPI(M) general secretary warning the government repeatedly not to operationalise the deal.

Banerjee's argument demolished the CPI(M) advocacy of coal and renewable energy --- with facts and figures.

"The coal position is such that we have to import… Our coal is inferior…This has worsened the thermal power generation," Banerjee said.

"In this situation, we have to look at other types of fuels," Banerjee said in a reply to a supplementary question put by Congress legislature party leader Manas Bhuinya. "Renewable energy resource are not enough to meet our needs."

He said West Bengal gets 97% of its energy generation from thermal power, with only 3% coming from renewable sources.

Banerjee said there are fears about nuclear power, but he did not subscribe to such fears.

"For the last 30 years, our country has been generating 4000mw of nuclear power," Banerjee said.

He pointed out that there have been just two (nuclear) accidents worldwide so far.

Unmindful of the CPI(M)'s assertion that `nuclear power is not the energy of choice of most advanced countries', the minister said: "France gets 75% of its power from nuclear power."

"Nuclear power does not automatically mean a Hiroshima or Nagasaki…If there are safety measures, then where is the objection?" he said.