New nuclear plants approved for Gujarat, Rajasthan

Friday, 31 July 2009, 22:52 IST
Printer Print Email Email
New Delhi: The government has accorded approval for setting up nuclear power plants in Gujarat and Rajasthan with a combined generating capacity of 2,800 MW, parliament was informed Thursday. The plants will be located at Kakrapar in Gujarat and Rawatbhata in Rajasthan and will each have two units of 700 MW each, Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Prithviraj Chavan said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha. Both sites are already home to nuclear power plants, with the one at Rawatbhata generating 740 MW of electricity and the one at Kakrapar generating 440 MW. "Similarly, in principle approval has been accorded for sites at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu and Jaitapur in Maharashtra for setting up light water reactors through imports," Chavan said. A nuclear power plant with four reactors of 1,000 MW each is currently being constructed at Kudankulam. "More nuclear power plants at additional sites are also planned. However, details are not yet finalized," Chavan added. Of the country's installed nuclear power capacity of 4,120 MW, 320 MW is based on light water reactors and the balance 3,800 MW is based on heavy water reactors. The installed capacity will reach 7,280 MW by 2011 by completion of projects under construction, Chavan said, adding: "More reactors, both of indigenous designs and based on international co-operation are planned to increase the nuclear power capacity." "The tariffs of nuclear power are competitive with that of coal fired thermal power stations at locations away from coal mines. In addition nuclear power is clean and environment friendly, as it has no greenhouse gas emissions," Chavan added.
Source: IANS