India 2014: Narendra Modi, his campaign, why the attention?

Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat has taken it upon himself to rather give an extremely different impetus to selecting the Prime Minister of India and thereby the coalition. No other party, including the Congress (I) has ever gone to the polls with a one person image. One person may have campaigned in the past, but seldom drawn so much attention to themselves. While there are supporters, critics, nay-sayers and vehement opposition, one must recognize the change he has brought in the pre-electoral phase in the country.

Considering that the literacy rate of India is low and the population of India that is still below the redesignated poverty line (and the earlier poverty line,) most parties do not publish a manifesto early on, almost 6 months or more before the actual elections. Establishing a precedent in his own party, Narendra Modi has steered (despite lack of complete support) to have the BJP name him as the person responsible for the Campaign as well as acknowledged him as their Prime Ministerial candidate. To change the will of a party with a record during the unparalleled Atal Behari Vajpayee Ji, is no ordinary achievement.


These are the notes of one who has been skeptic of Narendra Modi and his PM ambitions, read on if you can spare some time ...

Understanding Kudankulam: Technology and Potential

Let us first understand "Power Production Potential" of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
Power Production Potential at Kalpakkam 
Fast Breeder Reactor (operational: 1983, 1992 unit 1, 1994 unit 2 become self sufficient)

Madras Atomic Power Station, located at Kalpakkam has two units, each capable of 220MW. That provides peak power of about 400MW. The reactors became operational in the year 1983.

Madras Atomic Power Station is presently working on testing a 500MW FBR Prototype test project which can be deployed between 2014-2016. This too is to address the major deficit in power production. This capacity will be close to 1GW if the test proves successful as a paired unit.

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant

Unit 1 - Feb 10, 2012 (src: FirstPost)

In 1988, a project to build a second-generation Nuclear reactor with technology which was way beyond what Kalpakkam had by combining Russian Nuclear research and research from BHARC began. This is what has transpired into the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.

During initial phases in 1988-89, the capacity of the entire Nuclear Power Plant after full installation in multiple stages at peak load was estimated at 9150 MW or 9.15 GW (That is 20 times the load that Kalpakkam's plant handles in comparison.) An agreement was also made to provide top notch VVER Nuclear Reactor design technology to India and operational expertise. This type of reactor had been first made operational in 1975. The servicability of the reactor was demonstrated when the first VVER operational reactor was shutdown for service and increase in life.