NPCIL identifies four new sites for nuclear power plants

The National Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) on Tuesday said that it has identified four new sites in the country to set up indigenously-designed pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) with a potential to generate up to 2,800 MW of nuclear power.

"We have identified four sites to set up two 700 MW each of PHWRs in the first phase, which may have potential for expansion up to 2,800 MW," NPCIL general manager PM Shah told PTI. "These indigenously-designed PHWRs will be set up in Haryana, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The process of land acquisition and pre-project activities are going on," Shah said.

"The site in Haryana is at Kumbariya near Fatehabad and Banswada in Rajasthan. The two sites in Madhya Pradesh include one at Chutka in Mandla district and another at Bheempur. We expect to get requisite clearances for these projects within a couple of years," he said.

NPCIL is hopeful of adding 2,500 MW of nuclear power in the country over the next one year with the completion of its projects at Kudankulam and Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu, taking installed capacity to over 7,200 MW.

"We expect the first unit of light water reactor (LWR) at Kudankulam to begin generating electricity in a month or two and another unit there is expected to go on stream after six months or so. The construction work for these two units of 1,000 MW each is ready," Shah said.

"Whatever activity is to be done there before loading the actual fuel has been done. We are awaiting the regulatory body's (AERB) clearance," he said.