Even as India pushes ahead with its nuclear energy plans, countries across Europe, such as Germany, Finland and Sweden, are increasingly becoming hesitant to put up fresh nuclear energy plants after the catastrophe in Japan. Finland, which currently has four nuclear plants and meets 30% of its electricity requirement through nuclear power, is expected to drop plans to give new construction licences for nuclear energy projects.
India, though, is preparing to build the world largest nuclear power plant at Jaitapur (Maharashtra) ?a 9,900 mw nuclear power plant to be built by the French company Areva. Local people are protesting the project fearing potential damage to fishing and farming in the region in the Ratnagiri district. There are also plans to set up large nuclear power plants with Russian and American technologies in West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh.
Government spokespersons, however, have repeatedly argued the Jaitapur plant will not damage the ecology and livelihood of people. It is being projected as an efficient and cost effective way to secure electricity for the energy starved Maharasthra and the nation. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, India?s nuclear regulator, on Tuesday confirmed there was no increase in the radiation gama dose rate in the country following the Japanese nuclear disaster.
While the government views nuclear energy as a plausible solution to meet the energy requirement, executives at leading power companies in Finland such as Fingrid, ABB, wind gear manufacturer Moventas ? many of which have operations in India? said there is now a general dislike towards nuclear power after the Japanese disaster .
This is despite the fact that many of the European countries meet over 50% of their electricity requirements through nuclear energy. Last July, Finland gave go ahead to two new power plants. While these projects will not be cancelled, the Nordic country is unlikely to give permission to any more nuclear power projects.
?I don?t think after the catastrophe in Japan the Finland government will commission a new nuclear plant,? said Pekka Sulamaa, senior advisor, market development, Fingrid, which controls almost 75% of transmission in Finland. To cope up with their energy demand, many other European countries are now increasingly relying on wind and solar energy, said Santtu Hulkkonen, executive director, Cleantech Finland.
Olli Valimaki, senior vice-president, at wind gear manufacturer Moventas, which has customers in India, said most countries were bullish about nuclear energy before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami damaged the Fukushima reactors in Japan. However, now the public opinion has reversed, he said. Moventas has recently set up a subsidiary in India to service local customers such as RRB Energy WinWind, Gamesa and Westas.
According to agency reports, about 2.5 lakh anti-nuclear gathered in four German cities last weekend. Similar protests are now growing in France, which has 58 reactors, second only to the US, and relies on atomic power for about 80% of its electricity, the highest in the world. Germany has 17 reactors and nuclear energy provides about 23% of its power.
A Finnish power company executive, who did not wish to be named, however, said that nuclear power could be a useful and environment friendly solution for India. This is because wind and solar energy are costly, and setting up hydro and thermal power plants in India is very tough, he said.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, however, said in Beijing on Tuesday that people should keep an open mind about nuclear power, considering its importance for future. China has frozen plans to build numerous nuclear plants to review safety procedures.
It is beefing up safety standards but has said that there will be no changes in its plans to build more plants. China has approved construction of 10 more mega nuclear reactors in addition to 25 currently being built with a massive investment of $121.5 billion.
While the nuclear energy is taking a back seat in these countries, environment friendly innovations such as the Smart Grids technology, electric vehicles and new generation bio-fuels from wood and non-wood based industrial by-products are increasingly powering these countries.