| Syllabus: GS-I, Subject: Geography, Topic: Industry – World and India, Issue: Nuclear Power plants |
Context: Nuclear Energy Summit in Brussels was organized to promote use of nuclear energy as substitute to fossil fuel
Nuclear energy as substitute to fossil fuel:
- Offers clean electricity generation with minimal carbon footprint.
- Greenhouse gas emissions during the entire life cycle are significantly lower than coal and comparable to solar and wind.
- Perennial availability unlike solar or wind energy
- A key component in decarbonization pathways recommended by the IPCC.
Reason behind low use of nuclear technology:
- Safety concerns, high costs, and lengthy construction times.
- Nuclear technology has not seen breakthroughs to drive down costs.
- Small modular reactor technology, often discussed as a solution, is not yet mature.
The way ahead:
- Recently in COP28 about 20 countries pledged to work towards tripling global nuclear energy installed capacity by 2050.
| +1 advantage for mains (India-nuclear energy)
·        India views nuclear power as a clean, reliable, and 24×7 source of energy for long-term energy security. ·        India currently operates 23 nuclear reactors with plans for rapid expansion. ·        Operational reactors have a combined capacity of 7,480 MW, expected to triple to 22,480 MW by 2031-32. ·        The share of nuclear energy in India’s electricity generation mix is currently around 3.1%, among the lowest for nuclear-powered countries. ·        Despite potential, India did not join the tripling declaration at COP28. |
