Share of nuclear power is way short of target: Kakodkar

Kota, Dec 31(UNI) Atomic Energy Commission chairman Dr Anil Kakodkar said the country is lagging way behind in power generation from nuclear sources as against the set target of 10,000 MW by 2000.

The top nuclear scientist while talking to newsmen at the Rawatbhata Rajasthan Atomic Power Station said as against the target of 10,000 MW nuclear power by 2000, the country was able to produce only 3890MW of power presently. If included the various power stations under construction, the new addition of power generation is to the tune of 3380MW which is still way short of the target.

Dr Kakodkar while emphasising the need for a greater role for the nuclear power to augment power production argued for increasing the the share of power generation from nuclear energy from the present share of just four per cent.

He said with the speed with which the economy is growing the demand for power will be about 10-12 times higher in 2050 compared to the present demand.

Mr Kakodkar called for exploring maximum sources of power including uranium to bridge the deficit in the power sector.

He said the present sources of coal based power sector is not sustanable in the long run and keeping in mind the future need the exploration of uranium sources have been intensified.

He said uranium mining has started at two mines in Jharkhand recently.

Dr Kakodkar also said the present 220Mw atomic power station would be upgraded to 700MW units and the minimum capacity of atomic power station would be 700mw units. He said the Nuclear power Corporation of India will set up 700MW capacity eight units in the near future.

UNI