Russia dismayed over delay in commissioning of KKNP

CHENNAI: As the logjam over the commissioning of the Koodankuam Nuclear Power Project (KKNP) continued, Russia vouched for the safety of the plant and expressed dismay over the delay in its commissioning. Giving vent to his dismay over the delay in the commissioning of the plant, Russian Ambassador to India Alexander M Kadakin said he was perturbed over its scientists being forced to remain idle for a long time in the wake of protests against the 2x1000 MW nuclear plants, being set up in jointly by India and Russia. ‘’We cannot allow our scientists to remain idle endlessly. For months together, they are without job,’’ a visibly upset Russian envoy told a group of journalists on the sidelines of a function here last night. This was for the fi rst time Russia had openly expressed its dismay over the delay in commissioning the plant in the wake of protests by People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), which had been demanding scrapping of the multi-crore project citing safety concerns following the disaster at the Fukushima Nuclear plant in Japan. Dropping enough hints that Russia would be forced to utilize the services of its scientists, who were remaining idle at KKNP, elsewhere as they were in great demand, Mr Kadakin vouched forthe safety of the reactorsand said ‘’there was no need for anyphobia about their safety.’’ ‘’Our scientists are in great demand and we require them elsewhere,’’ he said. He, however, said he was neither ‘setting a deadline’ nor exerting any pressure on India for the early commissioning of the plant. The fi rst unit of the plant was earlier scheduled for commissioning in December last year. But due to prolonged protests for the last six months and the stubborn attitude of the antinuclear struggle committee, the plant could not be commissioned on time and was only getting delayed with every passing day, with the 15-member expert team formed by the Centre, to allay the fears of the locals on safety issues, failing to break the ice. ‘’We understand the predicament of the Indian Government,’ he said, and reiterated that though Russia was upset over the delay in commissioning of the project, it was not exerting any pressure on India in this regard. Kadakin said the prolonged agitation against the KKNP would cause a direct damage to India’s energy requirements and referred to the to acute power shortage faced by Tamil Nadu. ‘’The solution (to the power shortage) could come only from Kudankulam,’’ he said. Asserting that the design of the Koodankulam plant was the safest in the world, Mr Kadakin said there was no need for any fear psychosis over its safety in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. ‘’The Fukushima plant was an American-built reactor with an ancient technology. But, the Koodankulam reactors are the safest,’’ he added. Tracing the history of the Indo-Russian joint-venture, his said two agreements were signed for the nuclear plant, the fi rst in1998 and the other ten years later in 2008. He accused that some vested interests were behind the campaign that was aimed at stalling the project, which was ready for commissioning. ‘’Who are they (those opposing the nuclear plant). What was the anti-nuclear lobby doing all these years. How do they feed the agitators every day,’’ the Russian Envoy sought to know from PMANE convenor S P Udayakumar, who was spearheading the agitation. Expressing his desire to hold talks with the people, who were opposing the project, Kadakin wanted the agitators to rise above narrow political considerations. ‘’Creating a fear psychosis (among the people about the safety) will not help,’’ he said, while welcoming the Tamil Nadu government’s expert panel headed by former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman M R Srinivasan to look into the safety aspects and to go into the perceptions and fears of the local people, opposing the plant. Kadakin has come to the city to attend a function got up to honour Jnanpeeth awardees, Jayakanthan, a colossus in Tamil literature and a pro-Russian author, for his contributions to friendship between both the countries.