Bureaucratic rigmarole has cast its shadow over the country’s Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) of 500 MW rating, which is at an advanced stage of construction at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu.

The project is slated to attain criticality in September 2014. It is expected to start commercial operation by March, 2015. When everything appears to be going right for this strategic project, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF) has entangled Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in a procedural hassle.  

An MOEF committee has decided that it would not consider extending the validity of lapsed environment clearance for the project till DAE transfers the expired approval in the name of project developer named Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI). The validity of the approval dated 17th April 2003 expired about five years back! DAE/BHAVINI, however, applied for extension of the validity in April 2013. 

According to the minutes of  the meeting of the committee held on 19th November, “the Committee observed that the five year validity period is already over as early as on 16.04.2008 and Project proponent have not applied six months prior to the expiry of EC as per EIA Notification, 2006.”

The minutes say: “Besides it is also observed that EC was accorded to Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research , Deptt. of Atomic Energy but now M/s. Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (BHAVINI), Department of Atomic Energy have applied for the extension of EC. The Committee asked Project Proponent to submit application for the change in the name of project proponent first. Only then the proposal will be considered for the extension of validity period.”

The notification dated 14th September 2006  relating environmental approval issued under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 says that a clearance granted for a specific project “may be transferred during its validity to another legal person entitled to undertake the project or activity on application by the transferor, or by the transferee with a written “no objection” by the transferor, to, and by the regulatory authority concerned, on the same terms and conditions under which the prior environmental clearance was initially granted, and for the same validity period.”

It is obvious that transfer of the approval in the name of BHAVINI would have to be done retrospectively. 

The notification defines ‘Validity of Environmental Clearance’ as the period from which a prior environmental clearance is granted by the regulatory authority to the start of production operations by the project. It specifies the validity as five years for all projects excluding river valley and mining projects. 

The Notification says: “This period of validity may be extended by the regulatory authority concerned by a maximum period of five years provided an application is made to the regulatory authority by the applicant within the validity period, together with an updated Form 1, and Supplementary Form 1A, for Construction projects or activities (item 8 of the Schedule). In this regard the regulatory authority may also consult the Expert Appraisal Committee or State Level Expert Appraisal Committee as the case may be.”

It is thus clear that PFBR would not go on stream even if MOEF retrospectively extends the validity of approval by another five years. According to an analyst, MOEF should amend its environmental approval rules for atomic power projects, which have a large gestation period like the river valley projects. 

If MOEF does not make exception to this rule, BHAVINI runs the risk of being forced to apply for a new environmental approval. The fresh exercise may turn out to be a long-drawn process which begins with applying for terms of reference for EIA studies on the project.

BHAVINI had started construction work at PFBR site in October, 2003. The work at the site was severely hampered due to tsunami at site in December 2004. The project is, however, now 96% complete. Out of total project cost of Rs. 5,677 crores, the company has already spent Rs. 4,310 crores. 

Incorporated as a wholly owned public enterprise under DAE administrative control in October 2003, BHAVINI is focused on development and operation of plutonium-based fast breeder reactors. 

The PFBR is the forerunner of the future fast breeder reactors and is a vital element of the country’s energy security. In July 2011, MOEF had specified terms of reference for undertaking EIA studies on BHAVINI’s proposal is for setting up of two units of Fast Breeder Reactors of 500 MW each at Kalpakkam. These would be similar to PFBR.  

The PFBR technology has been developed by DAE’s Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research (IGCAR), which is also located at Kalpakkam. Before embarking on PFBR project, DAE had set up a 40 MW /13 MW Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at Kalpakkam in 1985.

 

 

 

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