Centre proposes to set up 10 more nuclear power plants

The government has also accorded in-principle approval for five new sites for setting up nuclear power plants in the future, according to a statement from the department of atomic energy.

New Delhi, Dec 07: The central government on Wednesday proposed to set up more nuclear power plants for augmenting production of clean energy.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said in addition to the eleven reactors - with a capacity of 8700 MW - under construction, the government has accorded administrative approval and financial sanction for construction of 10 indigenous 700 MW pressurised 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, according to a statement from the department of atomic energy.

In the statement, 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 of 22 reactors with a total capacity of 6780 MW. In addition, one reactor, KAPP-3 (700 MW) has also been connected to the grid.

Nuclear power is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India after coal, gas, hydroelectricity and wind power. As of November 2020, India has 22 nuclear reactors in operation in 8 nuclear power plants, with a total installed capacity of 7,380 MW.

Nuclear power produced a total of 43 TWh in 2020-21, contributing 3.11% of total power generation in India (1,382 TWh). 10 more reactors are under construction with a combined generation capacity of 8,000 MW.

In October 2010, India drew up a plan to reach a nuclear power capacity of 63 GW in 2032.