India scales up N-power target to 40,000 Mw

India is scaling up its target for nuclear power generation from 20,000 Mw to 40,000 Mw by 2020 and is seriously considering amendments to the Atomic Energy Act to enable private participation in the sector.

Anil Kakodkar, chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, told Business Standard that the government had prepared and circulated a draft paper on the proposed amendments to the Act.

He said the government's concerns on the private sector's entry into nuclear power revolved around security and safety.

"Nuclear power cannot be treated as a normal commercial acquisition or merger. The utility cannot just shut down a power project and walk out; it has to be there till the reactor is decommissioned. If utilities with a proven track record in nuclear power generation come forward, there should be no problem," Kakodkar said.

He, however, pointed out that under the current Act, only an entity in which the central government held 51 per cent equity could operate nuclear power facilities in the country.

He added that pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) technology was already available in the country for commercial use. Once civilian nuclear technology cooperation opens up, export of such small reactors would be considered.

Kakodkar said India was the only country which could offer small 300-500 Mw reactors at commercially viable prices. Countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam had already expressed an interest in buying this technology from India.

On the up-scaling of nuclear power, Kakodkar said both the department of atomic energy and the Planning Commission had conducted separate studies on the possibility.

The government had arrived at the new target of 40,000 Mw on the basis of the study. He added that the capacity-addition programme was based on a three-pronged strategy of developing PHWRs, fast breeder reactors (FBRs) and thorium reactors. While PHWR technology in the country was now commercially viable, FBR technology was still being fine-tuned.

The country's first FBR, the 500-Mw reactor at Kalpakkam is expected to be commissioned by the end of the year.

"In a year or two we will launch a series of FBRs after consolidating our learning from the Kalpakkam FBR, while the thorium reactor will take another three years to move from an experimental to demonstration stage," Kakodkar said.

At present, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, is working with a 30-Kw experimental reactor. Kakodkar expressed the hope that in the next two or three years, DAE would be looking at developing larger reactors like those of 1,000-1,500 Mw capacity.