Chennai: VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan has opposed the construction of Away From Reactor (AFR) Spent Fuel Storage facility within the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tirunelveli saying it is totally against the rules and regulations.
“Away from reactor means away from the campus. They have to choose a proper place which does not affect the people. They have to choose a place which is not affected by any natural calamity. But that is not possible now. So they are trying to construct Away From Reactor (AFR) Spent Fuel Storage facility within the campus which is dangerous,” he said.
He said the opposition parties including the DMK are opposed to the construction of Nuclear waste plant within the campus as it is totally against the rules and regulations. “So we will hold a demonstration on June 25 against it,” he told reporters here on Saturday. Leaders of other parties including CPI and Muslim League were present on the occasion.
If possible, he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and prevail upon him to halt the construction of the AFR.
Director of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) Sanjay Kumar has said that all nuclear power stations in operation in India and other countries had facilities to store new as well as spent (used) fuel on the premises of the plant. The scheme for the storage of spent fuel in a nuclear power plant was two-fold — one facility is located within the reactor building/service building, generally known as the spent fuel storage pool / bay, and the other is located away from the reactor, called the Away From Reactor (AFR) Spent Fuel Storage Facility, but within the plant’s premises, he had said.
Meanwhile, ahead of a scheduled public hearing on July 10, anti-nuclear groups have opposed the proposal to set up an ‘AFR’ facility on the premises of the KKNPP.
