Russia & Koodankulam

Sir, - A few months ago the Russian President, Mr. Putin, told the Indian press that the people of Tamil Nadu would be getting electricity at one-third of the cost compared to others because of the Koodankulam Atomic Power Station proposed to be constructed with Russian machinery and expertise.

In fact the people of Tamil Nadu may have to pay more by way of money and life.

According to the estimates prepared in the early 90s, the cost of thermal plant would be Rs. 4 crores for every MW planned. But the Koodankulam Atomic Power Plant is estimated to cost Rs. 20,000 crores for the 2000 MW plant, which is 10 crores per MW (estimated in the early 90s).

The power load factor for the atomic power plants in India is never more than 50 per cent, while the thermal plants in Tamil Nadu achieve more than 75 per cent (around 80 per cent).

Originally, it was agreed that spent fuel, which is radioactive and will emit radiation for hundreds of years, was to be transported back to Russia for storage. Now the Russians have washed off their hands and asked our AEC to keep it here itself and thus the people of India are exposed to radiation threat for centuries.

Thus the Koodankulam plant is a Frankenstein to be planted in Tamil Nadu. Russia is not doing any charity.

In fact, the Russians are dumping their poison in India. If their atomic technology is superior as they claim why the Russians were not able to sell the machinery to any other nation for the last 10 years.

No country in the world except France and India are constructing nuclear power plants after 1990. Not only that, the other countries are closing down their nuclear power plants.

So far no country has developed fool-proof waste disposal for the nuclear plants. The nuclear waste that is already accumulated all over the world is the biggest atom bomb on earth.

Dharma Krishna Raja,

Rajapalayam (TN)

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