Govt accords In-Principle approval for 5 new sites for locating nuclear power plants

Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh has said that the Government has accorded In-Principle approval for five new sites for locating nuclear power plants in future.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the Government has accorded administrative approval and financial sanction for construction of 10 indigenous 700 Mega Watt Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors PHWRs to be set up in fleet mode. He said, on progressive completion of the projects under construction and accorded sanction, the nuclear capacity is expected to reach 22,480 Mega Watt by 2031.

The Minister informed that there are presently 22 reactors with a total capacity of 6,780 Mega Watt in operation and one reactor, KAPP-3 (700 Mega Watt) has been connected to the grid in January last year. In addition, there are 10 reactors which are various stages of construction, which will add a total capacity of 8,000 Mega Watt.

Further in order to produce fuel for all indigenous PHWRs, Fuel fabrication capacity is augmented in the facilities available at Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad and the upcoming facilities at Nuclear Fuel Complex, Kota, Rajasthan in order to match with the requirement of existing PHWRs and upcoming PHWRs.

The requirement of uranium for domestic safeguarded nuclear reactors are met by indigenously mined and produced uranium. Moreover, Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate UOC is being procured from countries having Inter Governmental Agreement for supply of nuclear fuel. The Minister informed that efforts have been made to procure nuclear fuel from Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Canada.@DG_NTA