India To Build More Nuclear Power Plants

New Delhi: In a bid to increase the production of clean energy, India plans to build more nuclear power plants. The centre announced the same on Wednesday.

The government has approved five new sites for nuclear power plants and given the financial go-ahead to build 10 700-MW pressurized heavy water reactors, the statement said.

Union Minister of State Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh said Government proposes to set up more nuclear power plants for augmenting the production of clean energy.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, in addition to the eleven (11) reactors (8700 MW) under construction, the Government has accorded administrative approval and financial sanction for the construction of ten (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.