P. G. (Plum) Wodehouse, the eminent English historian and biographer recorded for posterity, among other things, the accidental wit and wisdom of Bertie Wooster. One immortal gem goes:
One man's You-Know-What is another man's Whatchamacallit.
The nuclear disaster unfolding dramatically in hapless Japan has shaken everyone but evoked very different responses from countries in the nuclear power club.
First off the block was Germany, which withdrew the "carry-on" permission it had given in the recent past to seven of its nuclear plants past their planned age. Work on new plants was stopped pending a rigorous review of safety issues.
France which has the largest installed nuclear power base in the world and is reputed to have the safest of designs has not shown any signs of slowing down, but also has nothing new coming up.
The United States does not have anything significant under construction or development. There is no possibility that they will be rushing into anything fresh under the circumstances.
Most OECD countries are expected to embark on major 'review and rectify' programmes for existing plants and slow down whatever new plans they have in the works; at least until significant progress is made in resolving previously known issues as also new ones now thrown up by Fukushima.
Outside the OECD we have China and India. Given its stated goal to get away from coal and oil, China has major nuclear facilities under planning and development. In absence of any pronouncements, not much is known about what China does and less about what China thinks.
India on the other hand has already come up trumps.
The Indian nuclear establishment has declared with one voice that 'our plants' are safe. Some have even used the word 'safer'.
The planning commission has declared that we need to increase the share of nuclear power in our energy plans.
The environment minister has done a typical flip-flop. One day he proclaimed that there is a need for a fresh look at all our plans. Specifically, he said, the Jaitapur facility, which will be the largest anywhere in the world, should be rescaled.
The very next day, he announced that there is no real need for any change. Our technology is superior. Our scientists will make sure that we are at no risk.
The Prime Minister has made some vague remarks about reviewing safety systems and gone on to sign a fresh deal with Ukraine to buy mega quantities of Uranium.
In Maharshtra, where there has been stiff resistance to the Jaitapur complex, we have started killing protesters.
Next Nuclear Business Opportunity
One man's You-Know-What is another man's Whatchamacallit.
The nuclear disaster unfolding dramatically in hapless Japan has shaken everyone but evoked very different responses from countries in the nuclear power club.
First off the block was Germany, which withdrew the "carry-on" permission it had given in the recent past to seven of its nuclear plants past their planned age. Work on new plants was stopped pending a rigorous review of safety issues.
France which has the largest installed nuclear power base in the world and is reputed to have the safest of designs has not shown any signs of slowing down, but also has nothing new coming up.
The United States does not have anything significant under construction or development. There is no possibility that they will be rushing into anything fresh under the circumstances.
Most OECD countries are expected to embark on major 'review and rectify' programmes for existing plants and slow down whatever new plans they have in the works; at least until significant progress is made in resolving previously known issues as also new ones now thrown up by Fukushima.
Outside the OECD we have China and India. Given its stated goal to get away from coal and oil, China has major nuclear facilities under planning and development. In absence of any pronouncements, not much is known about what China does and less about what China thinks.
India on the other hand has already come up trumps.
The Indian nuclear establishment has declared with one voice that 'our plants' are safe. Some have even used the word 'safer'.
The planning commission has declared that we need to increase the share of nuclear power in our energy plans.
The environment minister has done a typical flip-flop. One day he proclaimed that there is a need for a fresh look at all our plans. Specifically, he said, the Jaitapur facility, which will be the largest anywhere in the world, should be rescaled.
The very next day, he announced that there is no real need for any change. Our technology is superior. Our scientists will make sure that we are at no risk.
The Prime Minister has made some vague remarks about reviewing safety systems and gone on to sign a fresh deal with Ukraine to buy mega quantities of Uranium.
In Maharshtra, where there has been stiff resistance to the Jaitapur complex, we have started killing protesters.
Next Nuclear Business Opportunity
First The Nuclear Mess
