Apocalypse 2012 - What was it about?

Many friends  received emails highlighting a cataclysmic end to the world; esp. human life as we know it this year (2012). Some of them asked my opinion on the subject. I had then decided to answer them after the year was complete. My earlier entry (on the topic) was titled "End(s) of the World" written on May 20, 2011 as a rebuttal to the failing voice of Harold Camping.

The world did not end in 2012, or several dates marked prior to this where cults waited on hilltops or committed mass suicide. It is an unlikely event. Historically the most disastrous event we know is heavy volcanic activity forcing many people of the Minoan civilization to relocate.

Atlantis is a legend, perhaps even a fictional residue of a multitude of events as much as Troy of the Illiad. There is little proof to support existence of civilized life over 5,000 years ago. Although, there are those who believe that 10,500 BCE held some special civilization composed of hybrid homonids or only homo-sapiens (It would be only 2,500 years after the Neanderthals vanished en masse.) 

Despite several massive extinction events in the past, including the K-Pg or K-T event, life has never left planet earth nor has an entire genus been wiped clean. 

Before we confront the unfounded fears or subconscious "needs" of mass-destruction, let's take a look at the theories that spawned and turned out to be nothing ...

Sri Lanka: Ethnic conflict or Regional Power Play?

The island nation of Sri Lanka, named at some point in history after the mythical place of the Ramayana has been the ground of conflict for thousands of years. Yet from 1983, the discrimination of a majority population, dubbed on the grounds of their language and belief systems as the Sinhalese and the "alleged" northern settlers (who have undoubtedly lived here for longer than published,) the internal civil war has brewed.

The ethnic issues began upon the departing of the British, as communal tensions increased between the largely Southern population of the Sinhalese and the northern population of the Tamil-speaking people.

Sri Lanka has been an ally of the United States of America, for a long time. Interestingly TIME magazine in 2006 has actually called the LTTE an extremely organized fighting unit.

Human Rights Violations that are continuing, with the (largely) Sinhalese-speaking southern population on top, and the (largely) Tamil-speaking northern population subject to arrests even four years after the "claimed" end of the civil-war is shocking. Rajapakse is projected in an image akin to Ravan (of the ancient epic of the Ramayana.) I am appalled by this horror that the ethnic Sinhalese-speaking group believes in a zero-sum war.

How did such a travesty happen? What transpired into such a horrific calamity of human lives and livelihoods? (It is a lot more than an ethnic conflict that panned out ...)

Power Demand and Production in South India

Summer is nearing which might lend us a drop in Hydel power as well as Wind power being produced in the Southern peninsula.

USA, Nellis AFB, Solar Power Plant (13GW Operational Capacity)

Tamil Nadu, may end up being most affected as it already is bearing the brunt of lack of electrical energy to meet demand.  The above image is most alluring of 13GW of actual production from 18GW of installed Solar Production capacity in the USA at the Nellis Airforce Base with over 56 hectares of sun-following panels.

I have earlier discussed the capability and scope of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in my blog-post. I have also reviewed the total power production potential in Tamil Nadu (that caters to neighboring states as well.)
Ref: http://betasector.blogspot.in/2012/02/understanding-kudankulam-technology-and.html

The present electric power cuts have been partly induced by an acute shortage of coal. As the Telengana agitation begun, India's production of over 400 million tonnes of coal (annually) dwindled as some of the open mines suffered flooding while supply routes were cut. This was the first sign of major power cuts which began during the DMK regime in a 2hr quantum. These have suddenly increased due to a further shortfall of coal. Further drops in Wind power production and Hydel power drops have left most parts of Tamil Nadu with over 8 hours of power cuts each day. (I write this from Thanjavur where 9 hours of power-cut each day is a regular feature.)

In part private operators have not received over 25,000crores in payment for power supply from various sources. The total quantum of loan that has been left unpaid is over 35,000crores for which the present government led by the AIADMK has also not been able to work any remedies in time.

(ref: http://www.bellona.org/imagearchive/India1.jpg )

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.