NPCIL aims to double nuclear power generation this year
14 Sep 2009
With more fuel coming in via imports, Nuclear Power Corporation is targetting a two fold increase in power generation at 28 billion units.
According to a company official, even conservative estimates come to 22 billion units.
Meanwhile, the second unit of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station has began generating power utilising fuel from Areva, France. The Rajasthan project has four units that can produce in all 740 MW of power.
"We have started production at our Rajasthan plant using imported fuel from Areva. The condition of fuel supply is now much better compared to the situation 2-3 years ago," said NPCIL executive director (corporate planning), S Thakur.
He said the older target this year was for only 19 billion units.
NPCIL manages around 4,000MW of power from its 17 atomic power plants which are now operating at 70 per cent of total capacity against only 50 per cent last year.
Several public companies are in talks with NPCIL to set up nuclear power plants in the country. These are NALCO, NTPC, and IOC with NPCIL. Of these, NTPC has signed an agreement with NPCIL for a joint venture.
NALCO has submitted its plan for a power plant, preferably a nuclear powered plant, with a capacity of 1,500 MW. It is seeking technical knowledge to set up the plant.
