Sri Lanka’s Nuclear Plans Fears Environmentalists

Environmentalists in Sri Lanka have raised their concern regarding the government’s plans to put up a nuclear power plant by 2025.

The country’s energy minister Champika Ranawaka revealed that Sri Lanka is planning to build the plant to address the increasing need for energy. According to Ranawaka, there is already an on-going discussion between the government and Russia regarding nuclear fuel supply and nuclear waste disposal. The minister added that the government has to make sure there will be no shortage in power supply in the future.

But critics suggest such plant is unnecessary since the island is rich in natural resources, where energy may be acquired. Others are also questions the government’s capability of building its own nuclear plant.

As of 2010, only few countries including India, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, the Ukraine and the US have nuclear plants.

Mr Ranawaka believes that nuclear energy is the only choice for Sri Lanka. Solar energy is not a viable option because Sri Lanka’s energy consumption rate is high during the night. Wind energy is not ideal either since the wind in the country is insufficient.

But for the Centre for Environmental Justice spokesman, Hemantha Withanage, such renewable energy sources would be sufficed with correct handling.

In his interview with BBC, Mr Withanage said the country is “too small” to make room for a nuclear power plant. He is also wondering how Sri Lanka would be able to properly manage the disposal of nuclear waste when it is already struggling with its ordinary household refuse management.