Nuclear Power Corp to develop a series of reactors ranging from 1,000 Mw to 1,650 Mw.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has identified five to six sites along the country’s coastline for setting up nuclear reactors.
NPCL chairman and managing director SK Jain said the corporation would develop a series of reactors ranging from 1,000 Mw to 1,650 Mw at each site and was awaiting Centre’s approval in this regard. This apart, it is also planning to set up 10 light water plants for which agreements have been signed.
As part of the Eleventh Five Year Plan, NPCIL would start work on 12 reactors including eight pressurised heavy water reactors (700 Mw each), three fast breeder reactors and one advanced heavy water reactors in a few months. “India is now focusing on capacity addition through indigenisation,” Jain told the media here.
NPCIL had recently commissioned an additional mine at Jaduguda in Bihar, and this along with other mines would double the uranium availability in India in a few years. The existing nuclear power plants would soon have a plant load factor (PLF) of about 80 per cent from the present 50 per cent, he said, adding this would bridge the fuel supplies and plant capacities gap.
Though lower PLF has hit the company, Jain said he was hopeful of giving dividend to the Union government this year. NPCIL will also make some investments in uranium mining abroad.
On the ongoing prototype fast breeder reactor programme, the NPCIL chief said the Kalpakkam nuclear reactor in Tamil Nadu was on course and would generate power in 2011. “While major equipment would be erected from December, the plant would attain critical capacity by 2010 and will be ready to produce power by 2011,” Jain said.
