42nd IAEA General Conference

India, Dr. R. Chidambaram, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mr. Frederic Roger Heathcote, Director, Export Control and Non-Proliferation Directorate, Department of Trade and Industry

Among the peaceful applications of nuclear energy, nuclear power generation is the foremost and should not lose importance over other activities of the IAEA. Nuclear power is fast growing in Asia where it is an important option to satisfy future energy needs. Considering that nuclear power accounts for the avoidance of 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, this option is also important in the context of global environment considerations. Referring to the per capita consumption of electricity as an important measure of economic development, the speaker noted that for India to reach a standard of living comparable to developed countries, its per capita consumption of electricity should increase at least 8-10 times. India expects the share of nuclear energy in electricity mix to increase in the future and aims to reach 20,000 MW(e) of nuclear power by the year 2020. To ensure long term energy security, India has chosen to follow a "closed-fuel cycle" policy which calls for the setting up of reprocessing plants and breeder reactors. The construction of a 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is expected to begin in 20001. Because of its interest in the closed nuclear fuel cycle, India has always considered spent fuel as a vital resource material. The closed fuel cycle renders reprocessing and nuclear waste management a more viable and safe technology. He noted that an Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) using plutonium and Uranium-233 as fuel is being designed at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC). AHWRs constitute a part of the third stage of the country’s nuclear power programme marking a transition to thorium based systems. In context of the Y2K problem, the government as set up a High Level Action Force to monitor the status of preparedness in various sectors of the economy. Atomic Energy is one of the 11 critical sectors. The various stages of review have been implemented and contingency plans have been drawn up. The speaker said that India, having long adhered to physical protection standards, is now actively considering its accession to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials. India continues its staunch support to the Technical Cooperation activities and has pledged the full amount for the year 2000. He closed by noting that Agency’s role as an enforcer of safeguards should not overshadow its original character of promoting atomic energy.

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India, Dr. R. Chidambaram, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Mr. Frederic Roger Heathcote, Director, Export Control and Non-Proliferation Directorate, Department of Trade and Industry



Among the peaceful applications of nuclear energy, nuclear power generation is the foremost and should not lose importance over other activities of the IAEA. Nuclear power is fast growing in Asia where it is an important option to satisfy future energy needs. Considering that nuclear power accounts for the avoidance of 8% of global carbon dioxide emissions, this option is also important in the context of global environment considerations. Referring to the per capita consumption of electricity as an important measure of economic development, the speaker noted that for India to reach a standard of living comparable to developed countries, its per capita consumption of electricity should increase at least 8-10 times. India expects the share of nuclear energy in electricity mix to increase in the future and aims to reach 20,000 MW(e) of nuclear power by the year 2020. To ensure long term energy security, India has chosen to follow a "closed-fuel cycle" policy which calls for the setting up of reprocessing plants and breeder reactors. The construction of a 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is expected to begin in 20001. Because of its interest in the closed nuclear fuel cycle, India has always considered spent fuel as a vital resource material. The closed fuel cycle renders reprocessing and nuclear waste management a more viable and safe technology. He noted that an Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) using plutonium and Uranium-233 as fuel is being designed at the Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC). AHWRs constitute a part of the third stage of the country’s nuclear power programme marking a transition to thorium based systems. In context of the Y2K problem, the government as set up a High Level Action Force to monitor the status of preparedness in various sectors of the economy. Atomic Energy is one of the 11 critical sectors. The various stages of review have been implemented and contingency plans have been drawn up. The speaker said that India, having long adhered to physical protection standards, is now actively considering its accession to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials. India continues its staunch support to the Technical Cooperation activities and has pledged the full amount for the year 2000. He closed by noting that Agency’s role as an enforcer of safeguards should not overshadow its original character of promoting atomic energy.