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Thorium reactors more secure: Kakodkar

P. Sunderarajan

Anil Kakodkar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, Anil Kakodkar, on Thursday said he planned to associate himself with the Mumbai-based Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and focus on issues of use of thorium for generating nuclear power.

He would create awareness among the global community of the fact that reactors based on thorium are inherently more secure than others. Thus it would be of importance to not only India but the world at large.

Dr. Kakodkar was speaking to journalists after a plenary discussion on the energy sector at the 97th session of the Indian Science Congress here.

Currently, much of the research on thorium was being conducted in India, which is rich in it, though the country did not have enough reserves of uranium, conventional fuel for nuclear reactors.

A major thrust of the Indian nuclear programme since the beginning was to develop reactors that used thorium. After years of research, scientists recently developed the prototype of such a reactor. Efforts were under way to identify a site for setting up a 300- MW technology demonstrator reactor called the Advanced Heavy Water Reactor.

Dr. Kakodkar parried questions on talks to be held later this year on the reprocessing agreement with the United States. “I have relinquished my government position. There are others who will participate in the negotiation and they are no less capable.”

At the plenary discussion, he emphasised the need for a nation-wide comprehensive programme to address the technological challenges that faced research and development in the energy sector, including solar, hydrogen, and coal-based power plants, apart from nuclear energy.

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