Global financial crisis not to impact Projects: NPCIL

Mumbai, Nov 24 (UNI) The global financial meltdown will in no way impede the 12,000 MW power projects, which Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) has envisaged for the eleventh plan, NPCIL Chairman and Managing Director S K Jain asserted here today.

Addressing a three-day annual conference of Indian Nuclear Society here, he said the public sector will use both equity and debt for the projects which are estimated to cost around Rs 60,000 crore.

Speakers at the conference were looking to India and China to play an active role for the resurgence of global nuclear power industry, especially with India joining the world nuclear club after suffering from sanctions for over three decades.

The conference also saw larger participation from the nuclear power industry experts from Japan and France, which had evinced keen interest in joining up the programme.

Dr Jain said the NPCIL would not suffer from want of finance for its projects in the immediate future.

With the NPCIL assured of getting Uranium imports, about 3,160 MW of projects will go into operation next year. The future plans included eight units of 700 MWe pressured heavy water reactors, three units of 500 Mwe fast breeder reactors and one unit of 300 Mwe Advanced Heavy Water reactors.

With India joining the nuclear club by 2030, the country aimed to have 25 to 30 units of 1,000 Mwe and higher capacity light water reactors, Dr Jain added.

French nuclear power company Areva has already set up an India office in Mumbai, and was keen to supply four to six 1,400 MWe European Pressurised Reactors in India by 2020 aiming to supply about 20 to 40 GWe of power, company Marketing manager Parick Teyssier told newsmen on the sidelines of the conference.

He said the company provides full cycle of nuclear power programme.

Another multinational Westinghouse had also indicated its keenness to participate in the civil nuclear power programme of the country.

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