Facilitating nuclear and hydroelectric energy safety

In July 2012, India was hit by a massive blackout that affected half its territory. The impacts were wide-ranging, encompassing services such as transport and hospitals, and economic activities such as factories. The episode illustrates the difficulties of coping with rising energy demand in Asia. In 2011, the Asia-Pacific accounted for 83 percent of the increase in global energy consumption, a pattern which is expected to continue in the near to medium term. Ensuring energy security thus remained a priority for Asia in 2012. The region’s policymakers persisted in pursuing diversification strategies, recognising the vulnerabilities and issues associated with dependence on fossil fuels. However, that task was made more complicated by the fallout from the Fukushima nuclear crisis the previous year. That incident brought to the foreground concerns over the safety of energy facilities such as nuclear power plants and hydroelectric dams, and highlighted the need for the region’s energy security agenda to include issues of safety.