Why the Nuclear Energy Path is Suicidal

Nuclear energy is the poorest yielder in terms of investments and is also the unsafest. Its every step bristles with radioactive hazards while the solar and other forms of renewable energy are abundant producers, non-polluting, free from hazards, and are far cheaper in costs.

The following are the reasons why the nuclear path must not be trodden at all.
(i) Given a determined political will, all energy needs can be met by renewable forms of energy plus clean coal-and the emerging hydrogen production-cum-use technologies—within the next two and a half decades, by which time natural gas will tend to decline in availability. Investments in nuclear plants will pre-empt the resources and starve the renewable energy projects.

(ii) France’s claim about the sustainability of nuclear power production is wearing thin. No private company in any part of the world is now willing to construct a nuclear power plant because of its high cost and prospect of heavy loss. At the cost of the public exchequer, governments can try to build it up, as France did. But people’s resistance will make the setting up of this plant extremely difficult. It is now public knowledge that Electricite de France had to raise 33,000 million dollars as loans in the international market and that it has not so far been able to repay anything except the interest, despite its large income from arms sales.

(iii) It is immoral to build new nuclear power plants when humanity does not as yet know how to dispose of the accumulated radioactive wastes of the last few decades, which are becoming grave health hazards. In certain cases, these wastes have been flowing to the rivers and seas for years. Some are contaminating groundwater.

(iv) An approach that accepts mega plants in general, and the most capital-intensive and most complex nuclear power plants in particular (which are also non-adaptable to “step-up” and “step-down” measures), is headed for centralist development. It promotes centralisation of economic and political power and spurs the growth of dictatorial tendencies, even within the structure of formal democracy. As against this, reliance on renewable energy sources and clean coal technologies can open up a vista of durable prosperity and genuine democracy.

(v) Contrary to popular belief, nuclear power plants’ net output of electricity is unimpressive. When the total output of power over 30 years of the plant’s life is weighed against the total expenditure of energy during the different stages of its fuel preparation and operation and surveillance of the decommissioned plant over thousands of years thereafter, the net outcome appears small, not worth the risks involved.

(vi) Even though the quantities of energy embedded in the atom are massive, as explained by Einstein’s equation, E=mc2 (that is, the energy content is equal to the mass lost in the fission of heavy atom multiplied by the square of the speed of light), these are not suitable for any benign use. On the basis of evidences, we can say that if these are sought to be harnessed by man, these will only lead to destruction, including self-destruction of man.

Of the six points listed above, the fist needs substantiation by a wealth of data which are best left for a separate, full-length article in a forthcoming issue. Points two and three are self-explanatory and need no elaboration.

Mainstream Weekly