It goes without saying that the the workers who continue to struggle to stave off a meltdown at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant are heroes. Like the warriors of Thermopylae, the Fukushima Fifty are able to rise to the occasion, sacrificing themselves to protect their society. In India, whenever you hear about a truck accident or a train accident in the news, it's inevitably reported that the driver or conductor ran away. Japanese culture seems to have enough strength in instilling its dharma into the minds of the common people, so that even the ordinary person is able to maintain strength of character in such trying times. Note that this disciplined strength of character is in contrast to the wild, hateful and vindictive jihadi suicide mentality.
Meanwhile, Indian officials continue to issue reassurances on the safety of Indian reactors. To be fair, Indian reactors have incorporated more reliable features like passive cooling, which the Fukushima plant doesn't have. It's mainly the really old reactors like Tarapur which might give greater cause for concern, although it too has been given some overhauls.
But consider that India's thorium program might offer not just itself but also the wider world a safer approach to abundant nuclear energy.
5 comments:
+ Using thorium is like being run over by a diesel train rather than a steam train.
Thorium leaves behind less radioactive waste. Also, the waste would only remain radioactive for 500 years whereas Uranium byproducts have toxic properties that last upwards of 10,000 years.
+ The Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactor (LFTR) which was developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the 1950s was a superior technology to the well-established and popular LWR. Mr Sorensen says the reactor produces less waste, can be more safely shut down, and can even use waste from other conventional nuclear reactors as fuel. He says the thorium project ended up being disbanded because of political influence.
+ WE MUST STOP SELLING OURSELVES TO RECESSION-STRUCK WESTERN COUNTRIES. WE SHOULD STOP OUR QUEST FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY.
All in all, there is not a single reason as to why India should take part in this rat race to become a nuclear-powered nation. Instead, we should learn from Japan and switch to much safer and cleaner energy sources like solar, hydro and thorium.
+ Live real-time monitoring map of radiation counts in the USA
+ Going bananas over radiation
thorium is a pipe-dream at the moment. since india has 31% of the world's thorium, only india really has an interest in that technology, which means it is unlikely to come to fruition. it will be sabotaged by the agents of america, china, vatican, or saudi arabia among the ruling classes.
there is no realistic chance of a commercial thorium fast breeder reactor until 2025.
there is a better chance of low-cost solar by then.
Rajeev, as more people see the dangers of uranium, then more see the comparative advantages of thorium, and will be investing in that technology. Besides, India has a crucial lead in developing the technology, and is uniquely placed to become an exporter of it. We could become the Saudi Arabia of nuclear power.
India has to develop thorium anyway, as a hedge against any international embargos of nuclear or other energy-related tech. Thorium tech gives us more leverage at the bargaining table.
I believe has a similar accident (god forbid) occured in an India, our workers at the nuclear reactor would have behaved in a similar exemplary manner. The comparison with the truck or train driver does not hold water because they are alone, and act on impulse.
A great example of dedicated Indian workers was during the 26/11 attack at Hotel Taj where many employees went beyond the call of duty, put their own lives at stake and saved the lives of guests. And this even was turned into a case study at Harvard Business School!
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