In-principle nod to Jaitapur site for 6 nuclear power reactors: Govt

In-principle approval has been accorded to a site in Maharashtra's Jaitapur for setting up six nuclear power reactors of 1,650 MW each in technical cooperation with France, the government said on Thursday.

This would make it the largest nuclear power generating site in the country with a total capacity of 9,900 MW, Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

Currently, techno-commercial discussions to arrive at the project proposal with France are in progress, he said.

"The government has accorded in-principle approval of the site at Jaitapur in Maharashtra for setting up six nuclear power reactors of 1,650 MW each in technical cooperation with France which would make it the largest nuclear power generating site with a total capacity of 9,900 MW," Singh said.

Responding to another question, he said the government provides all impetus to promote the use of nuclear energy in health services and agricultural programmes for indigenous development, import substitutes and also provide cost-effective treatment.

"The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is involved in the development, pre-clinical evaluation and obtaining the radiopharmaceuticals committee's approval for human use for a number of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals adaptable to the existing and foreseeable demands," Singh said.

Technologies for large-scale production of these radiopharmaceuticals are transferred to the Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT), he said.

"BRIT is producing and supplying radiopharmaceutical products across the country and serving a large number of hospitals by supplying these products at their door steps. BRIT is also supporting a large number of irradiators by supplying Cobalt-60 pencils," Singh said.

"These irradiators are used for food grain preservation and sterilisation of medical products. BARC has been carrying out development of seed varieties using gamma radiation. So far, 49 seed varieties developed have been notified for cultivation," he added.

Technologies have also developed for self-life extension of agricultural products, Singh said.

"BARC has been formulating and carrying out Research & Development (R&D) projects to develop technologies/processes/radiopharmaceuticals for health services and agriculture programmes," he said.