2,000 MW of nuclear power from NTPC by 12th plans: CMD

New Delhi, Apr 5 (UNI) The National Thermal Power Corporation would generate 2,000 MWs of nuclear energy by the middle of 12th plan (2017) and is currently in talks with nuclear energy manufacturers and the government, Chairman and Managing Director T Sankaralingam said today.

The state-owned company has appointed former Atomic Energy Commission Secretary S Rajgopal and former executive director of Nuclear Power Corporation of India V K Kaushik as consultants to speed up the project, the CMD said at a conference.

The country's largest power generating company is also in talks with GE Energy for technology and fuel a move that would possibly end the monopoly of state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd.

The energy coordination committee headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said power from nuclear energy will help stabilise energy prices.

The move by the Corporation also comes in the wake of the Indo-US nuclear which also has sparked interest by other companies who are anticipating permission for setting up nuclear power plants. Other companies include India's leading corporate house of Reliance and Tatas who have evinced interest in nuclear power.

NTPC is also exploring possible sites for its proposed nuclear power project in various states, including Tamil Nadu and is in talks with the Department of Atomic Energy for the initiative.

''We are keenly watching the Indo-US nuclear agreement and at the same time looking for probable sites in various states such as Tamil Nadu for setting up the project once all the approvals come,'' Mr Sankaralingam had said.

He said the project would come up only during the Twelfth Plan period (2012-17).

UNI