STATE TIMES NEWS
NEW DELHI: Union Minister, Dr. Jitendra Singh on Wednesday informed the Lok Sabha about the new Nuclear Reactors being set up in India.
The Government has given bulk approval for the installation of ten nuclear reactors in different parts of the country, the Minister informed.
In reply to a question, Dr. Jitendra stated that the Government has roped in PSUs for the installation of the nuclear reactors and the exercise would be done exclusively by the specialised Government agencies.
He said, the Government has accorded administrative approval and financial sanction for 10 indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors of 700 MW each in fleet mode. As per the details, two nuclear reactors each had been approved for each of the three States of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana while four were sanctioned for Rajasthan, the reply stated.
The Minister also informed that the Modi Government had amended the Atomic Energy Act in 2015 to enable the Joint Ventures of NPCIL with Public Sector Enterprises to set up nuclear power projects. These reactors are planned to be set up in ‘fleet mode’ progressively by the year 2031 at a cost of Rs. 1,05,000 crores, he added.
In reply to another reply in the same House, Dr. Jitendra informed that during 2021-22, nuclear power reactors generated 47112 Million Units of electricity, which comprises about 3.15% of the total electricity generated in the country.
Dr Singh stated that the present installed nuclear power capacity is set to increase from 6780 MW to 22480 MW by 2031 on progressive completion of projects under construction and accorded sanction. The Government has also accorded ‘in principle’ approval for new sites to set up nuclear reactors in future.
Pertinent to mention that it was only under this Government after Narendra Modi took over as Prime Minister that one of the North Indian States will get the first Nuclear Reactor at the Haryana town of Gorakhpur.