NEW DELHI: Despite the velocity of the protests at the local level, the nuclear establishment here seemed hopeful that the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) can be commissioned by November, and not any later.This indication came from Atomic Energy Commission Chairman, Srikumar Banerjee, at a special briefing called to address the safety concerns over India’s nuclear power installations and the existing plants, specifically Koodankulam, on Monday.Talking to mediapersons, Banerjee said, “We are looking at commissioning the plant by November end.’’ Asked whether it was possible for the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) to stick to such an early deadline in view of the protests, Banerjee said, “We hope so.’’ Had it not been for the protests, the KKNPP would have been commissioned by now, making Tamil Nadu the pioneer. He said the NPCIL was, in fact, working on a September-October schedule. The protests “which have come at the last moment’’ have pushed the timeline by a month, derailing its plans.Without naming anyone, Banerjee said “taking advantage of the low knowledge base and lack of proper understanding’’ of the local population, they have been exploited by certain “lobbyists who’ve spread misinformation’’ in Koondankulam. The Fukushima episode was used to create “fear psychosis’’.It needs to be understood, the officials explained that there can be no switch-off, switch-on situation as far as a nuclear plant goes. “Work cannot be stopped, high voltage has already been charged.” He, however, repeatedly said the nuclear reactors have passed stress tests carried out after the Fukushima incident.Nonetheless, there was no denying that the NPCIL slipped up in its public “outreach’’ programme. One village — Idinthakarai — which has become the epicenter of the protest, was left out when the nuclear establishment and its experts were reaching out to the locals for support. “I admit, it was a big mistake on our part,’’ an official said, adding that the public hearing document of the NCPIL will show that some of the dissent that “we are now witnessing’’ has been manufactured by those who’re against nuclear energy per se.Apparently, the situation in Koondakulam was compounded by two recent incidents, both undertaken as part of the safety drill that was required to get the commissioning of the plant cleared. These drills were apparently misconstrued as accidents by the locals.Apparently, the NPCIL forgot to inform the locals when the “hot-run’’ was being conducted. The huge amount of steam and noise caused by the hot-run scared the local population. When this was followed by an evacuation drill, also necessary for the commissioning of the plant, it completely put off the villagers who feared the worst.
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