Question : NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION

(a) whether the signing of Indo-US nuclear deal has led to additional nuclear power generation in the country;

(b) whether after signing of the India and the United States Nuclear deal, any additional nuclear power generation has started in the country;

(c) if so, the amount of increased Megawatt power energy being generated in various nuclear plants; and

(d) the details of countries with whom India has entered into agreement in atomic energy sector at present, and the countries with whom it is likely to sign such agreements in the future?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH):

(a)(b) &(c) Yes Sir. Currently, of the 4680 MW capacity in commercial operation, 1840 MW is using imported fuel. Prior to the fruition of international cooperation, only capacity of 320 MW (Tarapur Atomic Power Station units 1&2) was fuelled by imported fuel.

The conclusion of international agreements in the year 2008 has enabled import of fuel for additional nuclear power reactors placed under IAEA safeguards. With the availability of imported fuel, the fuel demand-supply gap is also reduced, thus making it possible to start commercial operation of three new reactors namely Rajasthan Atomic Power Station units- RAPS 5&6 (2x220 MW) at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan and Kaiga-4 (220 MW) in Karnataka which led to additional nuclear power generation in the country. Thus, an additional generation capacity amounting to 1520 MW has become available consequent to the international cooperation.

(d) Countries with whom India has entered into Agreements/MOUs in atomic energy sector at present are USA, France, Russia, Mongolia, Namibia, Argentina, UK, Canada, South Korea, Kazakhstan and Czech Republic. Negotiations with Australia, Japan and Sri Lanka are continuing.