Withdraw consent for Kudankulam AFR, DMK MP writes to PM

MP T.R. Baalu pointed out that the locating of the Away From Reactor at the Kudankulam site, was in violation of the Supreme Court’s directions, and posed a hazard

DMK MP T.R. Baalu wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, appealing to him to immediately withdraw for siting of the Away From Reactor (AFR) spent fuel storage facility for the Kundankulam Nuclear Power Plant 1 to 4 at the Kudankulam site.

Pointing out that the siting of the AFR was in violation of the Supreme Court’s directions which had said that the Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) should not be permanently stored within the Kudankulam site, he said the Union Government was also yet to evolve a plan for setting up a Deep Geological Repository (DGR) as per the SC’s directions even after many years.

“In the absence of a DGR, there is every possibility of the AFR facility being converted into a permanent nuclear fuel storage facility at Kudankulam. As the construction of NPPs 5&6 are also on the anvil, it may require another AFR facility. Kudankulam will have ultimately six nuclear power plants and three AFRs which will raise high risk apart from constant fear among the people of nuclear radiation hazard,” Mr. Baalu said.