State-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) intends to set up 16,900 MW of extra nuclear capacity at an investment of Rs 1,01,400 crore ($23.03 billion) during the 11th Plan (2007-2012). NPCIL has sought the government approval for its ambitious capacity addition programme.
“The proposal was submitted to the government last week and the fund’s requirement will be met through debt and internal accruals. NPCIL does not intend to receive substantial budgetary support for this capacity addition plan,” senior directors told ET.
Elaborating on the plan details, NPCIL’s executive director (corporate planning) S Thakur said, “The proposal includes setting up eight nuclear reactors of 700 MW capacity. Two of these have been proposed at NPCIL’s existing site in Gujarat’s Kakrapar, while another two may come up in Rajasthan.” The location for the other four reactors is yet to be decided.
NPCIL has started pre-project activities for two additional fast-breeder reactors at Kalpakkam. These are part of the expansion proposal submitted to the government. NPCIL has already initiated the process of setting up one fast-breeder reactor, scheduled to go critical by March 2011.
Additionally, the company, as part of the proposal, plans to set up 300 MW advanced heavy water reactors. “Conceptual design for the plant is complete but the location is yet to be decided,” said Mr Thakur.
A fast-breeder reactor breeds fuel for itself. A breeder consumes fissile materials at the same time as it creates new fissile material which is reused as fuel in the same reactor. This does away with the requirement for procuring new fuel for such plants.
“Such breeder reactors also require a processing unit for fissile materials that are produced. One such processing unit can handle fuels for four reactors. The decision to set up two additional reactors at Kalpakkam has been taken since NPCIL is installing a processing unit there that can handle four reactors,” said NPCIL's senior executive director safety, Mr SS Bajaj.
Finally, the proposal includes plans to set up 10 large capacity reactors of 1,000 MW each. “These are likely to be built with imported technology, and four each will be set up at Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The location of the remaining two are yet to be decided,” he said.
“The remaining two will come up at any of the four new sites that the Site Selection Committee is considering. These include sites in West Bengal, Gujarat, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh,” Mr Thakur said.
“The proposal was submitted to the government last week and the fund’s requirement will be met through debt and internal accruals. NPCIL does not intend to receive substantial budgetary support for this capacity addition plan,” senior directors told ET.
Elaborating on the plan details, NPCIL’s executive director (corporate planning) S Thakur said, “The proposal includes setting up eight nuclear reactors of 700 MW capacity. Two of these have been proposed at NPCIL’s existing site in Gujarat’s Kakrapar, while another two may come up in Rajasthan.” The location for the other four reactors is yet to be decided.
NPCIL has started pre-project activities for two additional fast-breeder reactors at Kalpakkam. These are part of the expansion proposal submitted to the government. NPCIL has already initiated the process of setting up one fast-breeder reactor, scheduled to go critical by March 2011.
Additionally, the company, as part of the proposal, plans to set up 300 MW advanced heavy water reactors. “Conceptual design for the plant is complete but the location is yet to be decided,” said Mr Thakur.
A fast-breeder reactor breeds fuel for itself. A breeder consumes fissile materials at the same time as it creates new fissile material which is reused as fuel in the same reactor. This does away with the requirement for procuring new fuel for such plants.
“Such breeder reactors also require a processing unit for fissile materials that are produced. One such processing unit can handle fuels for four reactors. The decision to set up two additional reactors at Kalpakkam has been taken since NPCIL is installing a processing unit there that can handle four reactors,” said NPCIL's senior executive director safety, Mr SS Bajaj.
Finally, the proposal includes plans to set up 10 large capacity reactors of 1,000 MW each. “These are likely to be built with imported technology, and four each will be set up at Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The location of the remaining two are yet to be decided,” he said.
“The remaining two will come up at any of the four new sites that the Site Selection Committee is considering. These include sites in West Bengal, Gujarat, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh,” Mr Thakur said.
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