Press release - May 28, 2013
After the Supreme Court clearance to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant earlier this month, Greenpeace activists unfurled a net banner in the Nagercoil wind farms, advocating that the country’s future lies in renewable energy and not in the unsafe nuclear power.
“Kudankulam power plant represents what is not right with the energy thinking in India. In the vicinity of this reactor, in these wind farms lies the answer to the frequently asked energy question” said Karuna Raina, Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace India.”
“For almost two years now, thousands of villagers have been raising valid questions about the safety of the nuclear plant, and what an accident will mean for their children or what radioactive contamination of the sea mean for their livelihood. However, instead of engaging with the protesters, many activists have been slapped with sedition charges” added Raina.
Anand Prabhu Patanjali, Energy campaigner, said “In Kudankulam, like anywhere else, there are two main reasons why one would oppose nuclear power: it is not cheap, nor safe. Currently, Tamil Nadu estimates the cost of electricity generated from the plant to be Rs. 3/kW/h. However, this cost will increase as more and more safety requirements and procedures will raise construction costs”
Supreme Court Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra, in concurring judgments, had made it clear that the plant should not be made operational unless the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) gave their final clearances, and also emphasized on various safety concerns associated with the plant. Justice Misra had said: “The AERB as the regulatory authority and the MoEF are obliged to perform their duty that safety measures are adequately taken before the plant commences its operation.”
“Without taxpayer support, no nuclear plant would ever be built. In India, after more than 40 years and billions of dollars of public money, nuclear energy currently provides 2.5% of the country’s electricity. That’s half of the 5% generated by a nascent wind energy industry.” added Raina.
For further details, contact:
- Karuna Raina, Campaigner, Nuclear Energy, Greenpeace India, +91 9650111955, karu
- Anand Prabhu, Campaigner , Renewable Energy, Greenpeace India, +91 9902544118
- Sumit Saxena, Media Officer, Greenpeace India, + 91 956016334,
- Seema Javed, Senior Media Officer, Greenpeace, +91 99100 59765
