The massive case of corruption in France, involving irregularities effecting the quality of hundreds of nuclear plant components, has shocked the entire world. The French Nuclear Regulator – Authorite’ De Surite’ Nucle’aire (ASN) – has called the govt-owned company Areva’s own review superficial and has specifically asked it to extend the review to include EPR reactors.
The ASN raised serious questions regarding vulnerabilities found in the EPR reactor design in its safety reviews last year. It is ironical that the Modi govt is going ahead with its nuclear obsession despite objections raised on the particular reactor by the French safety regulator itself.
India’s nuclear safety regulator – Atomic Energy Regulatory Board(AERB) – is ineffective, non-independent and lacks the technological knowledge to vet the EPR design but still review the design before licensing and might consult its French counterpart. The Modi govt is preparing to introduce a bill in the parliament for an even weaker regulatory body with no power to vet the design before licensing.
This is about safety and lives of millions of people in India and we cannot allow the govt to impose an evidently unsafe design on the Indian population.
We strongly condemn the govt silence on the earlier ASN report and the latest corruption uncovered in France. We demand a moratorium on the Jaitapur project with immediate effect and an open review involving independent experts, civil society and local communities. The Government of India also must initiate a democratic consultation on pursuing nuclear energy in a post-Fukushima world.
For CNDP,
Achin Vanaik
Lalita Ramdas
Anil Chaudhary
Abey George
Kumar Sundaram
