Excavation work for nuclear power plant starts in Haryana

The excavation work for Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojna (an atomic power plant) in the Fatehabad district of Haryana commenced on Saturday.

The first phase is comprising of Unit-1 (700 MW) and Unit-2 (700 MW) of Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidhyut Pariyojna (GHAVP). Two similar units would come up for Phase-2.

Dr S Basu, Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), who is also the Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) inaugurated the excavation work in presence of S K Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL).

These would the first set of nuclear power plants that would come up in Haryana. Pre-project activities like land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation, site investigations, obtaining statutory environmental clearances has been achieved, according to NPCIL officials.
 
The project is being set up at a sanctioned cost of Rs 20,594 crore and would add 1,400 MW load capacity to the Northern Grid. "The construction of Phase-1 is expected to be completed in six years. On completion, it would generate about 980 crore units of electricity every year," NPCIL officials said in Mumbai.

The reactors are of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) type. Similar reactors are under construction – two in Kakrapar, Gujarat and Rawatbhata, Rajasthan.

At present, India's nuclear power capacity comprises of 22 reactors with a capacity of 6,780 MW. The six reactors under construction – would take the capacity beyond 10,000 MW.