Nuclear Energy in India and Asia
This week: You’ll hear the first of my stories from my recent trip to India. It’s about India’s ambitious plans for expanding its civilian power sector. That’s followed by an interview with M.V. Ramana, a nuclear analyst about Asia’s rush to build nuclear power plants. Ramana and his colleague Alexander Glaser are guests in our latest Science Forum discussion, and they’re taking your questions about the pros and cons of nuclear power. So, do stop by and share your thoughts. (Photo courtesy of Amy).
India’s Nuclear Plans Hit Road Bumps: Today India’s booming economy relies heavily on coal. But those coal reserves are finite, and come with heavy environmental costs. So the country is eying other sources of energy. Nuclear energy currently provides roughly 3% of India’s total energy needs. The government wants to amp it up to some 10% by 2030, with help from other countries like the U.S. But people in India are concerned about liability issues in case of an accident and land acquisition to build new plants.
Reporter: Rhitu Chatterjee
View a photo/video slide show from my trip to India.
Asia’s Push for Nuclear Power–a Wise Bet? Many Asian countries including China, Vietnam, and South Korea have big plans for nuclear power. But what are the risks from this trend? Our Forum guest, M.V Ramana talks to Marco Werman about the issue, and also about the global landscape of nuclear energy. What do you think about the tradeoffs of nuclear energy? Should the U.S. too follow Asia’s lead? Bring your thoughts and questions to our online discussion with Ramana and his colleague, Alex Galser.
Guest: M.V. Ramana
Join our online Science Forum discussion about nuclear energy. Ramana and Glaser are taking your questions through November 19th.
