• SL Atomic Energy Board Chair Prof. Rosa extols the advantages of adopting nuclear power generation in the context of a Russian proposal whilst urging prudence in evaluating related geopolitical, environmental, socio-econ, energy security concerns

Any form of power generation has its own pros and cons. However, as the world keeps using and experimenting with different methods to generate power, nuclear power has emerged as one of the most advantageous forms of power sources in terms of efficiency, reliability, and cost of maintenance. In this context, as a country that is struggling to ensure energy security, accepting Russia’s proposal to build a nuclear power plant in Sri Lanka would be a prudent decision.

Noting this, Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board Chairman Prof. S.R.D. Rosa added, however, that the country should carefully evaluate the benefits and risks it involves, especially with regard to geopolitical, environmental, social, and economic concerns. If Sri Lanka decides to proceed with Russia’s proposal, it would also be crucial to fill the knowledge gap that exists in Sri Lankan society with regard to nuclear power, he added during an exclusive interview with The Daily Morning.

Below are excerpts from the interview:

The media recently discussed two nuclear power-related matters. One of them was the Cabinet of Ministers’ decision to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the other one was Russia’s proposal to build a nuclear power plant in Sri Lanka. How important are these developments to Sri Lanka?

If we are to utilise nuclear power under the CTBT, we have to ensure that we won’t use it to make bombs or other harmful things. Some countries have signed this treaty, while some have not. For example, India has not signed it because it is producing nuclear weapons. Pakistan has also not signed it. Some countries show the outside world that they are using nuclear reactors to generate electricity. However, it is possible to make nuclear bomb materials using that technology. So, the treaty is regarding that. 

Regarding Russia’s proposal to build a nuclear power plant in Sri Lanka, they have sent us a comprehensive package. Their proposal involves a number of activities including training our people free of charge to provide the necessary expertise – because you have to have capable people to run such a plant – and building a nuclear power plant. They have promised to build a nuclear science education centre as well.

What is happening with regard to Russia’s proposal, and do you think that it would be beneficial to us?

Russia did similar projects in Bangladesh, and they have been successful. At the moment, they are building three nuclear power plants in various countries. They want this chain to be developed, and they are sending the same proposal to us. They have sent us an inter-government agreement (IGA), and the proposed project is to be handled by Russia’s State-owned atomic company, Rosatom/Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Corporation/the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom/Rosatom State Corporation. They have asked us to first sign the IGA, which is a framework agreement. If you sign that, then, political, financial and technological agreements and such will come later. We sent the IGA to all our stakeholders including the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), and the Justice Ministry. We have received and compiled their observations, and we have sent them to the Foreign Affairs Ministry for their observations.

Russia is very keen on the proposed project. We have not signed the IGA yet. The Government or the Cabinet has to take a decision and give us the green light.

In what ways could nuclear power be important to a country like Sri Lanka? Do you think it suits us?

If you look at our energy or electrical production, at the moment, we have solar, hydro, wind, and thermal power generation methods. Because of the environmental problems caused by these power generation methods, such as the emission of carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases, the temperature of the earth goes up. There are a lot of environmental issues that are of concern. In this context, most countries have signed treaties to minimise carbon emissions. That is one of the reasons why we are looking at nuclear power. The world is targeting to achieve zero carbon emission by 2050 and thereby minimise the global temperature increase. Even the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochchcolai has to be decommissioned by 2040-2043. How to fill the energy gap that it creates is a problem.

Renewable energy is another concern. There are plans to increase renewable energy, and there is nothing wrong with it. But, some people think that you can generate 100% of the electricity requirement through solar, wind, and hydro power. That is something I don’t agree with. There are a lot of technical problems. No country relies only on renewables, because renewables are seasonal and are intermittent. If you don’t get rain, what happens? If there is no sunlight, you cannot get solar power. So, we need to have a more stable backup plan for this, and the world has opted for nuclear power. 

We are trying to generate 70% of the power through renewables and only 30% through thermal by 2030 and one of the reasons is to get rid of carbon emissions. Nuclear power does not pose that problem. If you look at the current global trends in this regard, many countries think of nuclear power as a good main source of power and use renewables to fulfil the remaining power requirement. You have to have renewables but renewables cannot solve the energy crisis in Sri Lanka.

Nuclear power plants have a very long lifetime. Another advantage of nuclear power is that unlike in the case of a coal power plant where you have to supply coal every day, nuclear power plants only have to be refuelled once every few years which sometimes could be up to 10 years. Building a nuclear power plant requires a lot of capital, but, the running cost is very low.

What areas do you think would be suitable to build a nuclear power plant?

We have not selected a location yet, because we have to conduct a lot of studies to determine that. You cannot just go and build a power plant at any location, especially nuclear power plants. However, in 2018, we selected three regions which may be suitable for such power plants. They are Mannar, Trincomalee, and the Yala area. The Russians will also help us choose a location, including by providing experts. But, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) says that if we choose the Mannar area, there is the advantage of transmission lines being there, because that is where a lot of solar and wind power generation is also taking place. Of course, we have to think of a place where people don’t live close by.

We have also been offered the option of offshore outsourcing. There are a lot of countries that build small nuclear power plants on a barge, which is called a floating nuclear power plant. The Russians have that in some countries, and now, they are developing such for the third world, because it does not require land. You only have to connect it to the transmission grid. If we choose floating ones, the Russians will control it, and we will have to sign a lot of treaties. 

How does nuclear power generation work, and what about the potential safety concerns?

Generating nuclear power involves producing heat, which occurs in thermal power plants through burning coal or fuel. But, nuclear power is generated through a nuclear reaction, whereas burning coal is a chemical reaction. The nucleus of an atom does not get affected when you burn something, although if you break a nucleus when producing nuclear power, the energy or heat you get is a million times more. One of the main advantages of nuclear power generation is that it does not emit any greenhouse gases. 

There is, however, the risk of unwanted radioactive materials getting produced and leaked. So, in nuclear power generation, there are only two problems. They are: what would happen in the event of an accident through which such materials could get leaked, and how would you deal with nuclear waste once you will finish the production process?

When you break a nucleus, you get high radioactive elements, and in this case, that is what we call waste. If you release some of these elements which we consider waste into the atmosphere, that is very dangerous to humans. That is why people are always worried about nuclear power. People always have this fear because of the manner in which such matters are discussed in the media. Common, commercial electricity production through nuclear power generation methods started in 1954, I think, and it has been about 68 years since then. So far, only three accidents related to nuclear power plants have been reported. The first one was reported in the US due to a small leak, and it did not lead to considerable damage. Then, a big disaster happened in Chernobyl, Ukraine, which was caused due to human actions and according to reports, cost 56 lives. Then, there is the Fukushima incident in Japan, which was caused by a tsunami.

When you build a nuclear power plant, you have to control it. The principles that apply to nuclear bombs and nuclear power plants are the same; you break a nucleus, which is called nuclear fission. When you break it, a lot of neutrons come out and those neutrons can break other nuclei, which is a chain reaction. You have to control this process in a nuclear power plant, and actually, a nuclear power plant is a place for controlled fission. A nuclear bomb is for uncontrolled fission. Small power plants are actually inherently safe. Engineers and scientists have learned from their mistakes. So now, in small power plants, even cooling systems are embedded. 

When it comes to nuclear power or nuclear power plants, there seems to be a substantial lack of knowledge among ordinary people, which was displayed in the manner in which they discussed Russia’s proposal and linked it to nuclear weapons. What is your opinion about this?

There is a big knowledge gap, and we have to educate the public. We have to understand that nuclear weapons and the peaceful use of nuclear power are two different things. You cannot make bombs directly using nuclear power plants because of the manner in which nuclear power plants are built specifically for power generation. We are also looking only at power generation, or electricity. So, nuclear bomb-making and nuclear power generation are totally different processes, although it involves the same physics.