 |
| Kudankulam Nuclear Plant |
The water requirement for cooling at nuclear power plants in
India, or for that matter anywhere in the world, is nothing unusual. In
fact, all power-producing technologies require water for cooling purposes,
and so it is at nuclear power plants, including at Kudankulam Nuclear Power
Plant (KKNPP).
- Cooling water in not used in a nuclear process and it is not radioactive.
- The cooling water is used for condensing the steam – just like in any other power-producing technology, like thermal power plants that use fossil fuels like coal, oil or natural gas.
- The cooling water released is not hot, but only slightly warm, typically 5°C warmer than the ambient temperature of the water body (this is well within safe permissible limits).
- Thermo-ecological studies indicate no adverse effect on fish or any other aquatic life. Thus marine environment faces no hazard from this cooling water release.
- It is noteworthy that motorboats, submarines, ships, etc. also use seawater for cooling their engines.
- Abundant catch of healthy fish clearly indicates that fish thrives as normally in these seawaters as anywhere else.
