Nuclear capacity of 16,100 Mw to be put on fast-track

NPCIL will be in a position to mobilise Rs 10,000 cr debt and also equity from JV partners

The finance minister Arun Jaitley’s proposal to allocate Rs 3000 crore for the nuclear power generation will help the state run Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) to raise debt of Rs 10,000 crore. Besides, it will also help further mobilize money from its joint venture companies involving NTPC, Indian Oil Corporation and National Aluminium. The government's move to prepare a comprehensive plan for next 15-20 years will also give a much needed push for putting the implementation of nuclear capacity addition of 16,100 Mw on fast track.

As on date, the installed nuclear power capacity in the country comprises twenty one reactors with a total capacity of 5780 Mw. Out of these twenty one reactors, one reactor Rajasthan Atomic Power Station-1 (RAPS) (100 Mw) is under extended shutdown for techno-economic assessment on continuation of its operation. The remaining twenty reactors with a capacity of 5680 Mw are presently operating.

NPCIL’s former CMD S K Jain told Business Standard, “It is really heartening to see that a definite time bound action being proposed for augmentation of nuclear power capacity. The opportunity was already made available post 123 agreement. All the necessary spade work at many sties including land studies, impact assessment, land acquisition have already been done. Therefore, with the government's decision to provide Rs 3,000 crore, the actual progamme can be quickly launched.”

This apart, he informed NPCIL will be able to raise Rs 10,000 crore as debt on 70:30 debt equity ratio and equity from join venture companies will also start flowing.

Of the 16,100 Mw capacity, NPCIL has received crucial environment clearance for Kudankulam units 3&4 (2x1000 Mw) in Tamil Nadu while environment clearance for Gorakhpur plant (2x700) in Harayana has been obtained subject to clearance from wildlife angle. Further, NPCIL has obtained coastal zone regulation (CRZ) clearance and environment clearance for two units of 1,650 Mw for Jaitapur project in Maharashtra in 2010. NPCIL has submitted application in April 2015 to ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) for extension of validity of the clearance beyond five years.

Further, the state undertaking has completed environment impact assessment (EIA) for 2x700 Mw Chutka plant in Madhya Pradesh and the report has been submitted to MoEF. It has received CRZ clearance and in principle forest clearance for the 2x1100 Mw Chhaya Mithi Virdi project in Gujarat. NPCIL ias pursuing environment clearance from MoEF.

NPCIL has completed environment impact assessment (EIA) studies for 2x1500 Mw each in Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh and Mahi Banswara, Rajasthan respectively. Moreover, the company has submitted term of reference document for EIA studies for 2x700 Mw Kaiga project in Karnataka.

Department of Atomic Energy has recently told the parliament that these projects, which are being developed based on indigenous reactors and those supplied by foreign companies, are expected to be completed in about six to seven years from the start of their construction.