Question : Nuclear Power Policy

(a)whether the Government has framed a policy for setting up nuclear power plants and if so, the details thereof alongwith the number of plants set up so far, State-wise;

(b)whether the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) proposes to set up nuclear plants in Andhra Pradesh and if so, the details thereof;

(c)whether the Planning Commission''s Integrated Energy Policy Study of 2006 did not recommend imports of nuclear reactor exceeding 6000 MW, if so, the basis thereof;

(d)whether DAE is going to import 60,000 MW nuclear reactors and if so, the details thereof; and

(e)whether reactors and fuel would be procured from external sources and if so, the details thereof?

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

(a)The Atomic Energy Act 1962 empowers the Government to produce, develop, use and dispose of atomic energy either by itself or through any authority or Corporation established by it or a Government company. In this regard, an indigenous sequential three-stage nuclear power programme based on optimum utilization of the country’s nuclear resources of modest uranium and abundant thorium is being pursued. Large capacity nuclear power reactors based on foreign cooperation are also being implemented as additionalities, for faster capacity addition. The details of plants set up so far state-wise, is enclosed as Annexure.

(b)Yes, Sir. The Government has accorded ‘in principle’ approval of the site at Kovvada in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh to set up six units of 1200 MW each, in cooperation with USA.

(c)In the Integrated Energy Policy of 2006, there was no specific mention about import of nuclear reactors exceeding 6000 MW capacity. The policy document indeed envisaged that capacity addition in the country will be supplemented by electricity generation through Light Water Reactors (LWR), initially through imports of technology but with the long-term objective of indigenisation. A capacity addition of 63,000 MW from nuclear power sources by 2031-32 was also projected in the document.

(d)It is proposed to set up total of upto 40,000 MW of nuclear power capacity based on advanced Light Water Reactor technologies in cooperation with the Russian Federation, France and the United States of America.

(e)The reactors with foreign cooperation are planned to be set up on technical cooperation basis, with shared scope of work. The Indian scope is planned to be progressively increased in subsequent reactors of each technology. Provisions for lifetime fuel supply are planned to be built into the commercial contracts of these reactors.

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Annexure
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State Location Units apacity (MW)
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Maharashtra Tarapur TAPS-1 160
TAPS-2 160
TAPS-3 540
TAPS-4 540
Rajasthan Rawatbhata RAPS-1* 100
RAPS-2 200
RAPP-3 220
RAPS-4 220
RAPS-5 220
RAPS-6 220
Tamil Nadu Kalpakkam MAPS-1 220
MAPS-2 220
Kudankulam KKNPP-1 1000
KKNPP-2** 1000
Uttar Pradesh Narora NAPS-1 220
NAPS-2 220
Gujarat Kakrapar KAPS-1 220
KAPS-2 220
Karnataka Kaiga KGS-1 220
KGS-2 220
KGS-3 220
KGS-4 220

*Under extended shutdown for techno-economic assessment for continued operation.
** Expected to be in commercial operation by the end of this year.
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