1. Access, Environmental and Economic aspects of Nuclear Energy
Sudhinder THAKUR
Executive Director (Corporate Planning)
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited
India Energy Congress 2007
New Delhi,

2. Historically, nuclear power had origins in military application
Historically, nuclear power had origins in military application. Access for civil use was limited to developed countries who had benefit of shared R&D amongst them.
The technology is complex – need high science and technology base.
Technology denial regime for India.
INDIA has developed all aspects of nuclear technology for using indigenous resources.

3. India’s Nuclear Resource Base
550 T of U 235
61,000 T of U 238
250,000 T of Th As Thorium
As Natural Uranium
The programme is to use U235 in first stage and convert U 238 to Pu 239 for second stage.
Use Pu 239 and U 238 in second stage to produce more Pu 239 for second stage.
Later in second stage introduce Th to produce U 233
Th232 – U 233 based systems in third stage.

4. Three Stage Nuclear Power Programme
URANIUM PLUTONIUM THORIUM
STAGE 1
STAGE 2
STAGE 3 U -
233
ELECTRICITY
Depleted U Pu
300 GWe, 30 Yr
Pu FUELLED
FAST BREEDERS Th
500 GWe, 500 Yr
233 FUELLED
BREEDERS
Natural
Uranium
PHWR
12 GWe, 30 Yr

5. India’s Nuclear Energy Potential Electricity Potential¤
Amount
Electricity Potential¤
GWe-yr
Uranium-Metal
61,000 -T
- In PHWR
328
- In Fast Breeders
42,231
Thorium-Metal
(In Breeders)
2,25,000 –T
155,502
Nuclear Resources in India have enormous potential

6. Status of the 3-Stage Programme
14 PHWRs (3580 MWe) are in operation
4 PHWRs ( 880 MWe) are under construction.
8 PHWRs (5600 MWe) are planned in the XI Plan.
This will complete first stage programme (10000 MWe).
The second stage Fast Breeder Reactor (500 MWe) is under construction and will be operational by More FBRs are planned to be taken up in XII Plan and beyond.
All the associated fuel cycle facilities front end and back end have been developed and are in operation.
The third stage systems are under R&D.

7. Additionalities
Additionalities to the indigenous programme were introduced to enable faster capacity addition and access foreign funding.
In operation: Tarapur 1&2 (320 MWe)
Construction:Kudankulam 1&2 (2000 MWe)
‘In principle’ approval of site for 2000 MWe each at Kudankulam TN and at Jaitapur, Mah.
Possibilities for larger capacity addition based on imports as a result of the Government’s initiatives on international cooperation in nuclear energy.

8. International Cooperation in Nuclear Energy
Passing of Hyde Act was a precursor to enabling international cooperation.
Several international agreements need to be negotiated and entered into before its fruition.
International cooperation will enable large nuclear power capacity addition in the near term based on imported fuel and technology.
It will also enable access to international markets for import of fuel and other equipment for indigenous reactors designated as civilian.
All issues involved are being dealt by the Government

9. Plans for Future
8 Indigenous PHWRs ( 5600 MWe) & 10 reactors (10,000 MWe) based on imports are planned to be taken up in the XI Plan period.
Four Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) and more imported reactors are planned to be taken up in the XII Plan.The installed capacity on their completion will reach about 25,000 MWe by 2020.
Large capacity additions by a mix of indigenous and imported reactors are planned beyond The main component of additions will be from indigenous FBRs.

11. Nuclear Renaissance
Several Developed countries are revisiting nuclear option in view of the depleting fossil fuels and concerns of CLIMATE CHANGE
Power sector is the single largest contributor of Greenhouse gas emissions.
As major growth in the next few decades will be in Asia (India & China), these countries will add huge quantities of Greenhouse gases.
China and India have large nuclear capacity addition plans.
Nuclear power, devoid of GHG, can have contribution in decarbonising.

12. Life Cycle Emissions of nuclear are comparable to that of renewables
Source: Nuclear Power and Sustainable Development IAEA publication no / FS Series 3/01/E/Rev.1
Life Cycle Emissions of nuclear are comparable to that of renewables

13. Environment & Nuclear Wastes
The quantities of high level nuclear wastes generated are very small. A 1000 MWe reactor generates only about 25 tons of waste of 40 years of operation.
India has developed and deployed technologies for immobilisation and interim storage of radioactive wastes.
A deep geological repository for final disposal will be finalised in future.
The doses for nuclear facilities to the environment have been a small fraction of prescribed regulatory limits.

15. Costs of Nuclear Power
OECD have published lifetime cost ratios of major base load sources - nuclear and coal power, in some of the countries at discount rates (real) of 5 & 10% are as follows:
NUCLEAR CHEAPER
COAL CHEAPER

16. The Indian data has been dovetailed in this study.
The cost ratios of coal (at 800 km from pithead) to nuclear are:
At discount rate of 5%
10%
Nuclear is competitive at lower discount rates.
The breakeven discount rate is about 8.16% (real).

17. The capital costs of nuclear power are higher than that of coal (about 30% higher) based power. However, the fuel costs are lower and thus nuclear power is less sensitive to fuel price fluctuations. The break up of the components of life time levelised costs at 5% discount rate is as follows:

18. The imported LWRs are competitive at distances closer to coal mines.
The breakeven discount rate at 250 km (nearest costal sites) at prices with domestic coal is about 6% (real), considering an overnight cost of 1450 USD/kWe.
Further, in case of nuclear power, costs of externalities such as decommissioning and waste management are internalised.

19. CURRENT NUCLEAR TARIFFS
Station - Year
Capacity (MWe)
Tariff (paise/kWh)
TAPS -1969
320 95
MAPS -1986
440
182
NAPS
188
KAPS
199
RAPS 2,3&4-2000
640
269
KGS 1&
220
286
TAPS 3&4-2006
1080
273

21. Components of Tariff (TAPS 3&4)
Nuclear power tariffs are regulated by Government.
ROE
29%
Deprn.
15%
Interest
14%
Fuel
22%
O&M
Insurance 9%
Heavy
Water
10%
Levy 1%
Fuel (22% of total): The nuclear tariffs are less impacted by the volatility of fuel prices and transportation costs..

23. Economics of Climate Change
The Stern review report (2006) on Economics of Climate Change
Damages due to climate change could be 20% of global GDP or more if urgent action is not taken”.
Estimates of the annual costs of achieving stabilisation between 500 and 550ppm CO2e are around 1% of global GDP by 2050, if strong action starts now.
The power sector around the world would need to be at least 60% decarbonised by 2050 for atmospheric concentrations to stabilise at or below 550ppm CO2e.

24. Nuclear Power can become further competitive if the external costs are included.
It can also make a major contribution in arresting Climate Change.

25. Non Power Energy Applications
In future, once oil is depleted, HYDROGEN is likely to be the major energy carrier.
Worldwide, initiatives on Hydrogen have been commenced.
India is working on Compact High Temperature Reactor for production of Hydrogen.
Work is also on on FUSION reactors, as a part of the international effort (ITER). India is participating.

26. Thank You