Higher nuke capacity after tie up for fuel supply

Gangtok, Nov 20: India will go for higher nuclear power capacity after only tie up for fuel supply for its nuclear power plants is done, Union Power Secretary R V Shahi has said.

"At present we have fuel shortage for the existing capacity of 3,000 MW. Once we are able to tie up with some foreign countries for import of fuel and exploit the domestic sources we will go for higher nuclear power capacity," he said.

Mr Shahi, who was here on a two-day visit to the state to assess the progress of various power projects and montior the steps taken for power reform, said, "In the integrated power policy we project a rise in the generation of nuclear power from the present less than three per cent to about seven per cent of the total capacity by 2032."

In next 25 years a capacity addition in the order of 50,000 mw from nuclear sources is expected, he said.

At least 3000 mw is expected in the first few months of the 11th five year plan, the power secretary said.

Though many countries opposed the idea of setting up of nuclear power plants to meet their demand "we believe that nuclear power plant is a good option as the issue of health and safety could be adequately taken care of with the help of advanced technology," he said.

UNI