JOIN USSpeaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event on Monday, Banerjee said that the energy parks would have several imported reactors ranging from 1,000 MW to 1,600 MW each. Russian reactors are being installed in Haripur in Midnapore district of West Bengal, while French reactors are being installed in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
“These reactors would produce large quantum of power from 6,000 MW to 15,000 MW in each site.” Banerjee claimed.
Talks are on with American companies too, he said. “The advantage of energy park is that one could share the infrastructure, energy evacuation and save on costs, which is very important as it is reflected in the tariff,” he said. Despite this, nuclear power production would fulfil only 60,000 MW or 10 per cent of the requirement by 2030-35, he added.
Meanwhile, there is also a focus on indigenously developed nuclear reactor systems. Several reactors are coming up with indigenous technology in the family of 700 MW reactors.
No fund constraint
Banerjee did not see any fund constraint in building nuclear power plants in India. He maintained that private companies will play a major part as they supply machinery for reactors and the government was looking for joint ventures and partnerships with the industry. In a move towards this direction, Nuclear Power Corporation of India has initiated a joint venture with Larsen and Toubro and a large steel melting and forging industry to build reactors in Hazira in Gujarat, the AEC Chairman said.