Development
of a nation and need for energy are synonymous. The thermal power
generation units are facing the flak world over as they are packing the
atmosphere with carbon dioxide. We all know the perils of this
greenhouse gas and the resultant global warming. The environment experts
all over are shouting from the rooftops pleading the governments to use
nuclear energy as one of the main sources of energy, just in order to
cut down the carbon dioxide emissions. How safe is the nuke power is a
question that needs to be examined.
Hazards of nuclear energy are quite forbidding. It has to be harnessed
for practical use with great care and caution.
It was a big jolt to the human society in 1986 when the reactor number
four of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Soviet Union exploded. The
resulting fire released a plume of nuclear material that spread as far
as North America. Worst affected were areas in Ukraine, Belarus and
Russia. As per the Wikipedia the fall out of the 'leak' was stupendous.
Though directly only 56 persons died which included nine children who
died of thyroid cancer post disaster. As per the WHO estimates 4000
persons more could die of cancer out of 600,000 highly exposed people.
Exposure of living beings to nuclear radiation has long term effects.
That is why the nuclear power generation and disposal of nuclear waste
requires highly specialized people and treatment.
Generating electricity in the conventional manner needs a turbine and a
mechanism to move that turbine. Either water or charcoal heat is used to
move the turbine. Hydroelectric generation is one of the cleanest ways
but unfortunately it has been experienced that large dams constructed in
the mountain terrain for the purpose of power generation are becoming a
source of hazard. The recent incidents of damages to dams, power houses
and other structures including roads and habitations due to flash floods
are still fresh in the memory. The power house at Nathpa-Jhakri on the
bank of Sutlej river suffered heavily due to flash floods in the river
in the year 2005.
We all know the use of charcoal for power generation and its effect on
the environment. Yet we are helpless and power generation continues
using coal. Apart from polluting the environment, the availability of
coal is also limited.
Thus the choice falls on the third method-that is the nuclear power.
Nuclear power generation uses radioactive material. A typical
characteristic of radioactive elements is to break down to other
elements. In the jargon of nuclear scientists the phenomena involves
decay of parent element to daughter element. The decay takes place over
a period of years, also known as the half life of the element. During
the course of decay, particles of energy are released. For example,
Uranium-238 decays to lead and the by-products are varieties of
particles, gamma rays and energy. The energy released during the decay
of radioactive element is used for generation of power. The process
sounds simple but it has hazards too. The natural decay of the
radioactive material becomes a natural radiation hazard. To add to the
problem, like any other factory, the nuclear power generation requires
the raw material. Power is the main produce but similar to other
factories unwanted waste is also generated. From every day newspaper
reports we are aware how hazardous the industrial waste is. The nuclear
waste from the power plants is no exception.
Therefore for a nuclear power plant the first precaution taken is the
selection of site. Nuclear power plants are preferably located in
earthquake safe zones and on bed-rock. Earthquake sensors are a part of
the plant and there are arrangements to stop operation of reactors in
case of emergency, to cool down reactors to remove heat from nuclear
fuel and to contain radioactive material. Locating such power plants on
an active fault is hazardous.
In short any kind of tremble could produce a leak and that could be
disastrous. That is why the precautions.
The nuclear waste generated by the plants needs a special treatment too.
It can not be just dumped on the roadside or in the nearby streams like
the industrial waste. The problems faced by the nuclear powerhouses
about the waste disposal are multiple. Lot of research has been done on
the types of nuclear wastes and their disposal methodology. Nuclear
waste is grouped in to 'low level', 'intermediate level' and 'high
level' waste on the basic type of radiation. The physical classification
divides it into three categories, viz. liquid waste, solid waste and
gaseous waste. The power plants follow the classification given by the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which is based on the
radiological properties of the waste and specific activity.
While various techniques are used in handling and disposing the nuclear
waste according to their radiation hazard, the nuclear waste management
group of the plant has to ensure that the society is not endangered,
people are not inconvenienced and natural resources are not harmed in
any way.
The radioactive material in nature keeps releasing some amount of
radiation in the atmosphere. Called as threshold value, it remains
harmless to the living beings. The disposal philosophy keeps this fact
in mind and ensures that the decay of the waste does not generate
radiation beyond the threshold value.
Data published by nuclear scientist M.V. Ramana and his colleagues show
that nuclear waste generation in India is on the increase. Low level
waste amounts to over 232,000 cubic meters while intermediate and high
level wastes measure about 40,280 cubic meters. Disposal technique
involves conversion of the low and intermediate level wastes in to
slurry and then stored in concrete-lined basins. These bins are entombed
in shallow, concrete walled, land repositories. High level waste is
first vitrified in borosilicate glass or synthetic rock and ten stored
in concrete-lined steel tanks. These containers are kept in underground
stores for 20 years before being disposed off in underground salt beds
or abandoned salt mines.
Trenches in the abyss of oceans are one of the suitable sites for
disposal high level nuclear wastes. Containers of high integrity are
buried in such trenches. These containers are lowered through boreholes
drilled specially for he purpose and stacked one above other separated
by minimum 20 meter of thick clays pumped in at high pressure. These
oceanic clays have a great capacity to hold radioactivity like a closely
guarded secret and do not allow it to escape on to sea waters.
However, despite all precautions, chances of leakage of radioactive
gases or liquids can not be ruled out.
The share of nuclear power is merely three percent of total power
generation. Before becoming a self-sufficient or superpower in terms of
electricity generation the cost-benefit ratio between other existing
techniques and nuclear power needs to be examined. The proliferation of
nuclear power plants in India, their operation and waste disposal will
require special precautions. The unfounded fears that nuclear powers are
toxic also need to be cleared.
Above all, while dealing with nuclear power generation quality of safety
measures has to be kept above board; any slackness could be hazardous
and toxic for generations to come.
James D. Werner an environment engineer from United States and expert on
nuclear waste disposal rightly said in Scientific American in 1996:
"The stuff we are dealing with can't go away until it decays. You can
containerize it, solidify it, immobilize it, but you can't make it go
away".
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Development
of a nation and need for energy are synonymous. The thermal power
generation units are facing the flak world over as they are packing the
atmosphere with carbon dioxide. We all know the perils of this
greenhouse gas and the resultant global warming. The environment experts
all over are shouting from the rooftops pleading the governments to use
nuclear energy as one of the main sources of energy, just in order to
cut down the carbon dioxide emissions. How safe is the nuke power is a
question that needs to be examined.
Hazards of nuclear energy are quite forbidding. It has to be harnessed
for practical use with great care and caution.