NTPC initiates plan for N-power

Close on the heels of the India-US nuclear agreement, the country's largest power producer, state-owned NTPC Ltd, today said it was looking for consultants for advice on its nuclear foray.

"We will have to examine a lot of factors such as the capital cost of setting up a nuclear power plant and the availability of fuel," NTPC Chairman and Managing Director CP Jain said here today.

The company, which is in talks with Nuclear Power Corporation of India for a possible joint venture, plans to set up 2,000 Mw of nuclear capacity by the end of the 12th Plan (2012-17).

Jain said the company would seek the government's approval at an appropriate time and only after studying whether it was viable to enter the sector.

"It is too early to say when we will approach the government or get other approvals," he said.

NTPC, along with Tata Power and Anil Ambani-controlled Reliance Energy, is among the companies that have evinced interest in entering the nuclear power segment, provided the government opens up the sector. At present, nuclear power plants are set up only by the NPCIL, under the department of atomic energy.

The nuclear power arm will be the latest foray of the country's largest power company which has started work on hydroelectric projects, coal mining and gas exploration as part of its strategy to become an integrated energy utility with 66,000 Mw capacity by 2017.