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“We must intensify efforts to tap non-conventional energy sources”

— Photo: Vipin Chandran

M.R. Srinivasan: “We do expect a significant improvement in uranium mining in the next, say, three or four years.”

The debate over the 123 agreement with the United States has generated much heat. The former chairman and present Member of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), M.R. Srinivasan, believes India is growing in strength and economic independence and that such a deal will accelerate the several positive gains made by the country. Excerpts from an interview with Dr. Srinivasan in Kochi:

It looks as though that, one option is that the government manages to convince the Left that their concerns on compromises to India’s foreign policy and sovereignty are not well founded. If that were to happen, then, there will be a way forward. On the other hand, if, while looking at Mr. Brajesh Mishra’s [former National Security Adviser] reported interview where he said he personally is in favour of the agreement if there is no compromise on the strategic programme and if that were to be the view of the BJP, then perhaps the BJP could support the agreement. But this seems to be contradicted by what Mr. Rajnath Singh [BJP president] said recently. So we do not quite know whether they have made up their mind and [if] Mr. Singh’s position is the final one.

If neither the BJP nor the Left want to support this agreement, and with the clearly stated position of the UPA, which is against this, I really see that it appears to be a case of a stalemate.

Well, they have to wait. What else can they do? They cannot set up a deadline and say that if you do not conclude the deal by so-and-so date, the deal is off. They can’t say that. Their problem is, they have a time table. If the approval of the U.S. Congress is not secured sometime around the spring of 2008, then they get busy with their electoral process. In that sense, there is a timeline. Otherwise they really cannot indicate a timeline and say stick to it.

No, it is not possible at all. Technologically it is not possible; we have to have plutonium to start the Fast Reactors which can convert thorium into uranium 233. Now there is another situation, also called ‘sub critical assemblies’ with accelerated driven systems, but even for that we require fissile material, say plutonium, in addition to thorium. So, that is not possible. We still require this two to three decades of initial time.

Yes we have to do that. We have no choice in the matter. If the deal does not come through, we have to have a higher emphasis on coal, gas, hydro, and also intensify efforts on solar and wind. In any case, they need to be intensified. I would say, notwithstanding what happens in this deal, we should intensify our efforts to tap solar and wind and other non-conventional sources of energy. That must be done as a matter of priority. And we will have to do it even stronger. Although, they cannot, in the near-term, take the place of nuclear power, which in the near-term could be significant, if they have access to outside technology and fuel.

Yes, action is now being taken to open up new mines, and to add new mills, notwithstanding the difficulties of local opposition and so on. They are all being resolved. So, we do expect a significant improvement in uranium mining in the next, say, three or four years.

Construction is going to start next year. It will take about four to five years. This will be the first of its kind in the country. Though it is only a 300 MW reactor, it is very important in that it is the technology of the future that we want to work on. In that sense, it is very important.

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