1000 MW power from Kudankulam to flow out by June end

After being faced stiff resistance from anti-nuclear power activities for more than a year now, the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project is all set to start power production by the end of June.  Will this reduce the power shortage of the state, which has been reeling under acute power outage for the last few months?

 

“Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project will start energy production of 1,000 MW in the next 20 days as majority of the work on the plant has been done with, we are just awaiting the clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB),” V. Narayanasamy, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs said while inaugurating the “4th International Conference on Nuclear Energy” organized by the Nuclear Energy Group of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM).

Narayanasamy also expressed as the need to open up foreign direct investment (FDI) in the nuclear energy sector for India to achieve the target of 63,000 MW of nuclear power production by 2032 of the total installed capacity of about 7,78,000 MW. On the first phase, he suggested FDI in this sector on country to country basis and in the second phase could consider for opening up for FDI.

Reaffirming the safety standard at Kudankulam, Narayanasamy, pointed out that the nuclear power plant was protected by seven layers of safety systems.

On FDI in nuclear power generation industry, the Minister disclosed that  step by step discussions were going on regarding the limits of civil liability on the part of different entities involved in the construction and operation, final sing of why would enable FDI inflow.  He endorsed the ASSOCHAM president Rajkumar Dhoot’s observation that  Indian industry was keen to participate in the manufacture of the reactors and components.

Responding to the ASSOCHAM chief’s concern on shortage of power the minister said, “India is facing an acute paucity of power to the extent of about 45,000 MW and thus, we are taking positive steps in this direction and we need to promote usage of nuclear power which is the second most significant option for power production as there is an uncertainty vis-à-vis availability of coal which is a major source of energy production in India’s context.”

 “The nuclear power capacity in India is likely to cross 10,000 MW by 2017 on progressive completion of seven nuclear power reactors which are under various stages of construction,” said Narayanasamy, adding, “While, it is likely to reach 6,780 MW by the end of the current financial year from about 4,780 MW currently after the completion of Kudankulam project.”

The minister also said that we are close to using the vast thorium resources in nuclear reactors for power generation and the Kalpakkam power plant where 75 per cent of work is complete, would be India’s first nuclear power plant where we have utilized the thorium resources.