M. Appavu said that China’s increasing presence in neighboring Sri Lanka has posed a threat to the Kudankulam nuclear power project.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu has objected to setting up a spent fuel storage facility at the Kudankulam nuclear power project site, citing China’s growing presence in neighboring Sri Lanka.
Speaking here on Thursday, Mr Appavu, who is also the MLA of Radhapuram assembly constituency under which KKNPP is located, said the central government should reconsider its decision to locate spent fuel storage facility at Kudankulam. “As long as Sri Lanka was a friendly nation, the situation was different. But, China’s presence in the island nation is increasing which is posing a threat to the KKNPP.”
He warned that in case of any untoward incident, all southern districts of Tamil Nadu and southern parts of Kerala would be affected. In addition, a huge facility of the Indian Space Research Organization was also located at Mahendragiri, which is just 25 km from Kundankulam. He said the Center may shift the space for the spent fuel storage facility to the unused mines of the Kolar gold mines in Karnataka or the Thar desert in Rajasthan. “Ideally, this facility should be at a place where people are not residing,” the chairman said.
It is still not clear as to where is the stock of spent fuel of Unit 1 and Unit 2 of KKNPP which has been generating electricity for the last few years. “In a democracy, the government should be transparent and make it public where the spent fuel is being stocked,” he said.
When it is yet to be decided, why should the Center finalize the spent fuel storage facility for units three and four, which are still under construction, the TN president asked. He also appealed to the Center not to further expand KKNPP, where six units have been proposed and construction work is underway.
.