Expert vouches for KNPP's safety

Chennai, Jan 28: Ahead of the fourth round of talks on Tuesday to end the impasse over the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, a member of the central expert group on Saturday vouched for its safety and said the plant would meet the power shortage of Tamil Nadu to a "large extent."

"I don't know what is the total requirement of Tamil Nadu ... whatever has been promised by the central government, I think, at the moment, it stands at some 750 MW out of the first plant. And certainly to a large extent, the power shortage in Tamil Nadu will be addressed by Koodankulam," K Balu, a member of the central expert group that would hold talks with the state panel, comprising protesters, said.

His observation comes against the backdrop of former President APJ Abdul Kalam's recent suggestion to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the Centre may consider allotment of full 1,000 MW generation from KNPP unit-1 to Tamil Nadu to meet its present power crisis.

Noting that the state government has been co-operating with the Centre in allaying the fears of the locals over the safety concerns, he said, "...there will be no fear of any livelihood being lost or they being evacuated from land or homes. Such fears are totally unfounded. They have to listen to the assurances.

"On a personal level, I can assure them, as far as the safety is concerned, they need not worry. This has been taken care of very well by the design of the plant and the way it will be operated," Balu, a former Director of Nuclear Recycle Group in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, told reporters here.

PTI