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India open to private participation in nuclear energy: minister
NEW DELHI: "The government of India is open to specific offers for participation by private or foreign firms in the nuclear power sector," Minister of State for Atomic Energy Vasundhara Raje said in a statement in the Lok Sabha.
She said the government had received no "concrete proposal so far" in this regard. "Such offers, when received, will be considered under the prevalent rules and regulations," she added.
Energy-starved India plans to create an additional 20,000 MW of power by 2020 to meet the country's galloping power requirements.
Asked if the Department of Atomic Energy planned to produce hydrogen from seawater to generate electricity and produce fresh water, she noted, in another statement, that the department had set up a demonstration plant at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu for conversion of seawater into fresh water.
"Keeping in view the future energy requirements, a part of the department's long term strategy is to expand the role of nuclear energy as a primary energy source with production of hydrogen as one of the objectives," she said.
"However, it will take considerable time before the results of research in this area can find practical application," she added.
Source: IANS