Kudankulam project is safe: Senior scientist

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Centre R Chidambaram on Friday said that all concerns regarding Kudankulam nuclear power project have been addressed and expressed confidence that plant will start operating soon."

"It (operation of the Kudankulam nuclear project) should start soon. All the concerns (of anti-Kudankulam nuclear project protestors) have been addressed by the Committee of Experts appointed by the Prime Minister," Chidambaram told reporters on the sidelines of a function.

"Whatever concerns were there have been looked into," he said, adding the reactors at Kudankulam plant have very advanced safety features. Chidambaram also pointed out that 16 such reactors are operating within Russia and nine outside Russia.

Two such reactors went into commercial operations in China recently. Referring to safety culture (of reactors), Chidambaram said India has an excellent safety track record with so many reactors.

"Safety culture in India is one of the best in the world. Safety must be in design and in operation (of reactors) and it has to be ensured through regulation. We have the best trained operational engineers."

The progress on the Kudankulam nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu has been held up in the wake of agitation by locals since mid-October who have raised apprehensions about its safety.

Earlier, delivering the Yarlagadda Sreeramulu Eighth Endowment Lecture on 'India's Technology Needs: Nuclear to Rural', Chidambaram said "Nuclear is an inevitable and very important source of energy for India. Nuclear is, of course, power but it also branches out to medical, agricultural, industrial and other societal needs."