Govt plans to set up more nuclear power plants

Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh, informed the Lok Sabha today that the Government proposes to set up more nuclear power plants for augmenting production of clean energy.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Dr Jitendra Singh said, in addition to the 11 reactors (8700 MW) under construction, the Government has accorded administrative approval and financial sanction for construction of 10 indigenous 700 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) to be set up in fleet mode.

The government has also accorded in principle approval for five new sites for setting up nuclear power plants in the future.

Dr Jitendra Singh said the tariffs of electricity generated by nuclear power are comparable to those of contemporary conventional base load generators like thermal power. The present installed nuclear power capacity comprises 22 reactors with a total capacity of 6780 MW. In addition, one reactor, KAPP-3 (700 MW) has also been connected to the grid.