Question : Capacity of Power Generation

(a)the details of nuclear power generation capacity added during the last three years including current year;

(b)the goal set for the current year and the progress made in this regard;

(c)the amount of funds spent on maintenance and upgradation of nuclear power plants during the last three years including the current financial year and the cost per unit of power generation; and

(d)whether the Government is planning to expand the capacity of existing and new plants to meet the growing energy needs and if so, the details thereof?

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

(a)A nuclear power capacity of 1000 MW has been added during the last three years with the start of commercial operation of Unit 1 of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP-1) at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu.


(b)A capacity of 1000 MW is planned to be added in the current year by start of commercial operation of second unit at Kudankulam KKNPP-2. The unit has already attained first criticality (start of controlled self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction in the Reactor for the first time).

(c)The capital expenditure on operating stations for enhancement of their safety and performance during the last three years 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 was Rs.126.22 crore, Rs.78.03 crore and Rs.78.93 crore respectively. The expenditure in the current year upto June 2016 was Rs.8.92 crore. The nuclear power tariffs range from Rs.0.97 per unit in case of the oldest nuclear power station TAPS 1&2 at Tarapur to Rs.3.89 in case of the latest station, KKNPP-1 at Kudankulam.

(d)While there is no plan to increase the capacity of existing plants, future plants are planned to be of larger unit size. The indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water reactors are planned to be of 700 MW capacity and Light Water Reactors to be set up with foreign technical cooperation are of 1000 MW and higher capacities.
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