Thorium plants to be set up for generating electricity; announces Minister K Krishnankutty 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty said that plans have been started to start thorium plants for generating electricity in the state. The LDF government is opposed to going ahead with the nuclear plant. Therefore, the minister while convening a press meet said that public opinion should be sought for setting up thorium plants. He also asked the media to intervene in the issue.

There is thorium in the coastal area of Kerala to generate electricity for the next 200 years. It is black sand. The minister said the thorium can be separated from this black sand and converted into uranium and brought to reactors to generate electricity. The minister said extensive studies have been conducted on the issue. The minister also announced that a cabinet note in this regard will be submitted to the cabinet the next day.

It is estimated that there are two lakh tonnes of thorium deposits in the black sand of Kerala coast. If this is separated and brought to the plant, electricity can be generated at a low cost. Thorium is a naturally occurring radioactive metal found on the earth's surface. Energy production is possible by splitting it and converting it into fuel. Thorium, a readily available fuel, does not naturally split.