VISAKHAPATNAM: Former bureaucrat EAS Sarma shot off a letter to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, urging the State government to reconsider the proposed 2,800 MW nuclear power plant in Anakapalle.
The project, proposed by NTPC, requires 2,000 acres of land, which Sarma strongly opposed. He cited a similar project in Kovvada, Srikakulam, where 2,000 acres of fertile land were acquired nearly a decade ago, displacing about 2,000 families, yet the project remains unfinished.
Sarma expressed concern over the plant’s estimated water requirement of three billion gallons per day, warning that even with the Polavaram project, the region could face shortages. He suggested the NTPC consider a seawater desalination plant instead.
Citing the 2011 Fukushima disaster, Sarma warned of potential risks and questioned whether the project could meet safety guidelines set by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
He criticised the project’s reliance on imported reactors and uranium, arguing that high costs would make electricity unaffordable while generating minimal local employment. He urged the government to prioritize solar energy solutions, such as rooftop solar panels and solar irrigation pump sets for rural households. He argued that this model would be sustainable, economically beneficial, and empower rural communities.
In his letter, Sarma appealed to the Chief Minister to implement a decentralized solar power scheme as an alternative to the nuclear project.