OREANDA-NEWS. April 23, 2015. At present four indigenous nuclear power reactors, KAPP 3&4 (2X700 MW) at Kakrapar, Gujarat; and RAPP 7&8 (2X700 MW) at Rawatbhata, Rajasthan, are under construction and are expected to be completed by 2019. In addition, a Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor of 500 MW capacity is at an advanced stage of commissioning at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.

Financial sanction has been accorded for two indigenous reactors i.e. GHAVP 1&2      (2X700 MW) at Gorakhpur, Haryana and these are being readied for launch in 2015 -16. These are scheduled for completion in 2021. Two more indigenous 700 MW     reactors are also expected to be to be completed by 2024.

In July 2014, a target of tripling the then existing capacity of 4780 MW in the next ten years was set. While a capacity of 1000 MW has already been added to the grid in December 2014 by start of commercial operation of Kudankulam Unit-1, this target is expected to be met, largely on progressive completion of projects under construction and projects accorded financial sanction. The Government had also accorded ‘in principle’ approval of the following sites for locating nuclear power projects in future, based on both indigenous technologies and with foreign cooperation:

Site

State

Capacity (MW)

In cooperation with

Indigenous Reactors

Gorakhpur,

Haryana

4 X 700

Indigenous

Chutka

Madhya Pradesh

2 X 700

Bhimpur

4 X 700

Kaiga

Karnataka

2 X 700

Mahi Banswara

Rajasthan

4 X 700

With Foreign Cooperation

Kudankulam

Tamil Nadu

4 X 1000

Russian Federation

Jaitapur

Maharashtra

6 X 1650

France

Chhaya Mithi Virdi

Gujarat

6 X 1000*

USA

Kovvada

Andhra Pradesh

6 X 1000*

USA

Haripur

West Bengal

6 X 1000

Russian Federation

*Nominal Capacity

Pre-project activities are in progress at various stages at these sites, where the projects will be taken up progressively, in phases of twin units at a site. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has set for itself an ambitious target of reaching an installed generation capacity of 63000 MWe by the year 2031-32.The installed nuclear generation capacity by 2031-32 would depend on actual start of projects and their completion, which in turn would be contingent to completion of pre-project activities like land acquisition and obtaining statutory clearances and conclusion of techno-commercial discussion in respect of reactors to be set up with foreign co-operation.

This information was provided by MoS in the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh in written reply to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha today.