Discussions on with Westinghouse for Kovvada nuclear project: Govt

Jitendra Singh said that the land for the main plant area for Kovvada Nuclear Power Plant of 2079.66 acres has been acquired and mutated in the name of NPCIL

The Union government on Tuesday said discussions were in progress with the Westinghouse Electric Company of the US for a viable project proposal to build six 1000-MW nuclear reactors at Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh.

In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh, said the land for the main plant area for Kovvada Nuclear Power Plant of 2079.66 acres has been acquired and mutated in the name of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).

Singh said 190.7 acres of land has been acquired for an R&R (rehabilitation and resettlement) colony and land for the employees' township has been identified by district administration.

The minister said pre-project activities such as preliminary geotechnical investigations, and geological and seismo-tectonic studies have been completed.

The construction of a 13-km boundary wall, the establishment of six micro earthquake stations and the establishment of one meteorological monitoring lab were in progress, he said.

"Discussions with Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC), USA, are in progress to arrive at a viable project proposal for implementation of 6 units of AP 1000 reactors at Kovvada. WEC is yet to submit a Techno-Commercial Offer (TCO) for the same," Singh said.

He said the NPCIL has transferred Rs 506.95 crore to the district administration towards land acquisition and R&R Package for the main plant area, and Rs. 77.234 crore for land acquisition of the R&R colony.

Singh said the balance requirement of approximately Rs. 882.93 crore for the construction of the R&R colony and other pre-project activities has been approved by the government.