Nuclear Power in India

Nuclear power is the fourth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydroelectric and renewable sources of electricity. As of 2012, India has 20 nuclear reactors in operation in six nuclear power plants, generating 4,780 MW while seven other reactors are under construction and are expected to generate an additional 5,300  MW.

Nuclear power plants (in progress):-

Power Station	Operator	State	Type	Units	Total Capacity (MW)
Tarapur	NPCIL	Maharashtra	BWR (PHWR)	160 * 2	1400
				540 * 2
Rawatbhata	NPCIL	Rajasthan	PHWR	100 * 1	1180
				200 * 2
				200 * 4
Kalpakkam	NPCIL	Tamil Nadu	PHWR	220 * 2	440
Narora	NPCIL	Uttar Pradesh	PHWR	220 * 2	440
Kaiga	NPCIL	Karnataka	PHWR	220 * 4	880
Kakrapar	NPCIL	Gujarat	PHWR	220 * 2	440
Kudankulam	NPCIL	Tamil Nadu	VVER-1000	1000 * 2	2000
Total				22	6780

Nuclear power plants (under construction):-

Power Station	Operator	State	Type	Units	Total Capacity(MW)
Kalpakkam	BHAVINI	Tamil Nadu	PFBR	500 * 1	500
Kakrpar	NPCIL	Gujarat	PHWR	700 * 2	1400
Rawatbhata	NPCIL	Rajasthan	PHWR	700 * 2	1400
Total				5	3300

 Nuclear power plant (planned):-

Power Station	Operator	State	Type	Units	Total Capacity(MW)
Gorakhpur	Yet to be decided	Uttar Pradesh	PHWR	700 * 1	1400
Chutka		Madhya Pradesh	PHWR	700 * 2	1400
Mahi NBanswara		Rajasthan	PHWR	700 * 2	1400
Kaiga		Karnataka	PHWR	700 * 2	1400
Kalpakkam		Tamil Nadu	FBR	500 * 2	1000
			AHWR	300 * 1	300
Kudankulam		Tamil Nadu	VVER-1000	1000 * 2	2000
Jaitapur		Maharashtra	EPR	1650 * 2	3300
Kowada		Andhra Pradesh	ESBWR	1500 * 2	3000
Chhaya Mithi Vidi		Gujarat	AP1000	1100 * 2	2200
Total				19	17400

Note:-

PHWR: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor

FBR: Fast Breeder Reactor

AHWR: Advanced Heavy Water Reactor

VVER-1000: Voda Voda Energy Reactor

ESBWR: Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor

EPR: European Pressurised Reactor

BWR: Boiled Water Reactor

NPCIL: Nuclear power Corporation of India Ltd

BHAVANI: Bharatiya Nabhkiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd

Kudankulam starts producing electicity

The first 1,000-MWe unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, now but one stage away from commission, was synchronised with the southern regional grid (Oct 22, 2013). Initially, at 2.45 a.m., the first reactor generated 75MWe and gradually notched up 160 MWe. Subsequently, it was successfully transmitted to the southern grid at Abhishekapatti on the outskirts of Tirunelveli after the KKNNP project authorities got the ‘connecting password’ from Bangalore.

The process was halted at 5.15 a.m. so engineers could study the behaviour of the reactor’s ‘integrated systems’, the turbine and the generator — a routine procedure. A press release issued by Site Director, KKNPP, R.S. Sundar said that, the power will be further raised to 500 MWe, 750 MWe and 1,000 MWe in stages. At every stage, various tests are conducted and the technical parameters verified. Based on the results of the tests at each stage and with AERB [Atomic Energy Regulatory Board] clearances, subsequent stages are reached.

Though the reactor will continue to generate steam, the turbine will not be allowed to function as it has been stopped [to enable engineers] to study its performance during and after synchronisation. The functioning of the valves and the pipelines connected to the turbine is being evaluated. Moreover, the functioning of the generator is also being reviewed. All these tests and readings are being submitted to the AERB online and clearances being obtained then and there. So far, every part of the reactor, turbine and generator has performed extremely well. KKNPP sources said the southern grid would get 500 MWe from the first reactor before this weekend.

After being conceived in 1988 through the Rajiv-Gorbachev agreement, which paved the way for the export of two 1,000-MWe VVER (Voda Voda Energo Reactor, or, pressurised light water reactor) by Atomstroyexport, physical work on the project started only on March 31, 2002, with the “first [pouring] of concrete”. Even as the anti-KKNPP agitation gained momentum in neighbouring Idinthakarai, which temporarily impeded the project’s progress, the AERB gave its nod for initial fuel-loading on August 10, 2012, and subsequently granted clearance for the “first approach to criticality” on July 11, 2013.

The first reactor, which attained criticality at 11.50 p.m. on July 13, was expected to attain its full generation capacity by the end of October. However, fine-tuning of the Russian-origin components delayed commencement of power-generation. Once the KKNPP’s first unit of 1,000-MWe capacity is commissioned, the nuclear power contribution in the country will be raised to 5,780 MWe.

World’s top 10 worst airports; 3 from India

CRASH LANDING

A survey based on user experience to determine the worst airports in the world has left three airports in India red-faced

(01) Manila International airport (Terminal 1), Manila, The Philippines

(02) Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport, Bergamo, Italy

(03) Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata, India

(04) Benzair Bhutto Internacional Airport, Islamabad, Pakistan

(05) Paris Beauvais Tille Airport, Beauvis, France

(06) Anna International Airport, Chennai, India

(07) Frankfurt-Hahn Airport, Hahn-Flughafen, Germany

(08) Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, India

(09) Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, Rome Fiumicino, Italy

(10) Los Angeles Internacional Airport, California, USA

Factors: Crowded terminals ot limited skating, no 24-hour food options, dirty floors or bathrooms, unfriendly staff

India more than Delhi; States must bigger role in foreign policy –Narendra Modi

Calling for a greater role for states in issues of foreign relations, Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, said it was time to show the world that India was not just Delhi. He said that, foreign policy has to be driven by people and not politicians sitting in Delhi. The time has come for the economic and cultural strengths of different states are leveraged to strengthen the position of the country globally.

Delivering the Nani A Palkhivala memorial lecture, Modi said states have to be encouraged to partner with foreign countries to develop strong commercial links. At the moment, the states have no responsibility as far as India’s global relations were concerned. Modi mooted a strategy wherein each state could be asked to focus on a specific country and develop long-term links. People of the states may be encouraged to learn the language of the country they were partnering. “We should assign one country to one State. Now tell me, can’t Tamil Nadu take care of one country?” he asked the 3,000-strong crowd that thronged the centenary auditorium of University of Madras.

Commenting on the UPA government’s policies, he said the decision-making has become so dysfunctional that response to terrorism had been weak and even the much-needed arms modernisation had not taken place. In addition, the country is faced with even greater security threats such as cyber attacks. He said that, wars will no longer be fought in the borders. There will be proxy wars. For this, it is not enough if we raise walls of humans but we should also build walls of minds and hearts. He added that, India had been the greatest victim of terrorism in the world.

He criticised that, if China gets in, we’re watching... when Pakistan decapitates our soldiers, we’re waiting...People don’t know who is running the country... all this is happening because there is no seriousness (on part of the government). The Gujarat Chief Minister further said it was important to understand how to attract the world to India, especially in a situation where many of the countries in Asia look at India as their big brother.

Giving an example, he recalled a letter he wrote to the PM suggesting that India could form a club of countries that had the luxury of higher solar radiation to harness clean energy. Also, he suggested a corpus fund for greater research on solar-based technology, which could help India tide over its dependence on fossil fuels. “But you know what would have happened to that letter,” he quipped, suggesting there was no reply. He said that it was also the duty of the nation to ensure the safety of the Tamils of Sri Lanka. Modi also said tourism has generated $3 trillion business globally. But India has failed miserably to take advantage of this industry.

Global Slavery Index

Sixty-six years after independence, India has the dubious distinction of being home to half of the world’s modern day slaves. The first Global Slavery Index has estimated that 13.3 million to 14.7 million people — roughly equal to the population of Kolkata — live like slaves in the country.

The index, published by the Australia-based Walk Free Foundation, ranked 162 countries based on three factors that include estimated prevalence of modern slavery, a measure of child marriage and a measure of human trafficking in and out of a country. Modern slavery includes slavery, practices such as debt bondage, forced marriage and sale or exploitation of children as well as human trafficking and forced labour.

According to the index, there are 29.6 million people in modern slavery globally. India leads the world, followed by China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Russia, Thailand, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and Bangladesh. These 10 countries account for 76% of the world’s modern slaves. India ranks fourth in terms of modern-day slaves as a percentage of the population, just after Mauritania, Haiti and Pakistan. In Mauritania, 4% of people are regarded as slaves largely because they inherit the status from their ancestors.

The study says that in India there’s some exploitation of foreign nationals, but by far the largest proportion of slaves are Indians exploited by other Indians within the country, particularly through debt bondage and bonded labour. India is one of the few countries that has not ratified the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention.

The country with the second highest number of enslaved is China, with an estimated 2.8 to 3.1 million in modern slavery. This includes forced labour in many parts of the economy, including domestic servitude and forced begging, commercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage, says the study. Pakistan is estimated to have 2 to 2.2 million in slavery.

Iceland, Ireland and the United Kingdom are tied with the lowest rankings in the index. These countries are not slavery-free, with the UK alone estimated to have 4,200-4,600 such people. Iceland has the lowest numbers — less than 100. While Asia and Africa are home to the vast majority of modern slaves, no continent is free from modern slavery.

“It would be comforting to think that slavery is a relic of history, but it remains a scar on humanity on every continent. This is the first slavery index but it can already shape national and global efforts to root out modern slavery across the world,” said Nick Grono, CEO of Walk Free Foundation (WFF).

The index was created in consultation with an international panel of experts and has been endorsed by former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, former British prime ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, former Australian PM Julia Gillard, and philanthropists Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson and Mo Ibrahim. WFF was founded by Andrew Forrest, the chairman of Fortescue Metals Group, and his wife Nicola in May this year.

Bangalore ranked India’s top business destination

Bangalore, known as India's silicon city, has been ranked as the country's top business destination, followed by Chennai, Mumbai and Pune in terms of infrastructure, human capital, city culture and basic quality of living. While Delhi does not figure on this list, Noida and Gurgaon from the National Capital Region have been ranked 17th and 19th respectively.

The survey, conducted by Global Initiative for Restructuring Environment and Management (GIREM) and real estate consultancy firm DTZ, also found that smaller cities like Indore (5th), Bhubaneswar (6th) and Coimbatore (7th) are competing with top metros in the race to be ideal business destinations.

The list includes a total of 21 top business destinations in the country. Ahmedabad has been ranked 8th, followed by Nagpur at 9th and Kochi at the 10th place.

The others in the list include Chandigarh at 11th place, followed by Hyderabad (12), Mangalore (13), Vadodara (14), Jaipur (15), Calicut (16), Kolkata (18), Navi Mumbai (20) and Vishakapatnam (21).

India’s top business destination
#	Cities
1	Bangalore
2	Chennai
3	Mumbai
4	Pune
5	Indore
6	Bhubaneshwar
7	Coimbatore
8	Ahmedabad
9	Nagpur
10	Kochi
11	Chandigarh
12	Hyderabad
13	Mangalore
14	Vadodara
15	Jaipur
16	Claicut
17	Noida
18	Kolkata
19	Gurgaon
20	Navi Mumbai
21	Vishakapatnam

Commenting on the findings of the report, GIREM chairman Sankey Prasad said that few of the top 21 business destinations in India are already established while others have the potential to emerge as major business destinations. He said that, the ranking provides companies across industries and sectors with insights for future investment opportunities. The ranking rated the cities based on factors such as human capital, energy, water, transport, housing, healthcare, climate, office space availability and city culture, which constitute the basic eco-socio-economic parameters critical in determining the growth of the city.