(a) whether various States including Karnataka have requested for setting up of nuclear power plants to meet their power shortage during the Twelfth Five Year Plan;
(b) if so, the details thereof, State-wise;
(c) the details of the locations identified for setting up of nuclear power plants in various States;
(d) the status of each of such plants, State-wise; and
(e) the time by which each of these nuclear plants are likely to become operational?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH):
(a)&(b) In the recent past, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have requested for setting up of nuclear power plants in their respective states. Earlier, Haryana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh had requested for setting up of nuclear power plants in their respective states and offered prospective sites.
(c) Administrative approval and financial sanctions have been accorded by the Government for setting up of new nuclear power plants at Gorakhpur in Haryana (Units 1&2) and Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu (Units 3&4).
In addition, the government has accorded ‘in principle’ approval for the sites at Jaitapur in Maharashtra, Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh, Chhaya Mithi Virdi in Gujarat, Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan, Chutka and Bhimpur in Madhya Pradesh, Haripur in West Bengal, and existing sites at Kaiga in Karnataka, Kudankulam & Kalpakkam in
Tamil Nadu and Gorakhpur in Haryana for locating nuclear power plants in XII Five Year Plan and beyond.
At present Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a public sector undertaking under Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), is constructing one 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. BHAVINI is planning to initiate construction of two more Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR 1&2) of 500 MWe each in XII Five Year Plan. Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu is identified as the location for these two reactors.
(d) The status is attached as Annexure.
(e) Start of work on new projects at the above sites, except Bhimpur and Haripur, is planned in the XII Five Year Plan. These are expected to be completed in the XIII / XIV Five Year Plan. At the Bhimpur and Haripur sites, pre-project activities are planned in the XII Five year Plan to prepare for launch of the projects in the XIII Five Year Plan.