High-level meeting suggests possibility of nuclear power station in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala could get a nuclear power station if the state provides land for the purpose, according to a suggestion made during a recent high-level meeting between Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and State Power Minister K Krishnankutty here.

Official sources stated that such a suggestion emerged during discussions about Kerala's demand, mentioned in a memorandum submitted to the union minister, that the thorium deposits in the state should be utilised and that the power generated from them should be provided to Kerala.

State Power ministry sources in Kerala told PTI that Kerala did not demand a nuclear power station in the state but only suggested that the union government should make use of the Thorium deposits in Kerala.

Khattar, while discussing various demands of Kerala, which is incapable of increasing its domestic power production and depend mostly on the existing hydro-electrical projects and power brought from neighbouring states, said that the union government is open to the idea of granting a nuclear power station to Kerala, provided the state gives the land, they said.

"There were no further discussions on the subject as it involves larger studies and inspections by various agencies. It was just a suggestion given by the union minister," a senior official attached to KSEB told PTI on request of anonymity.

Kerala Power Minister Krishnankutty also placed various demands to help Kerala tide over the power crisis, especially during peak summer months, they said. The meeting was held on Sunday.

"We have requested the union government's financial aid to expand our critical infrastructure. As per our estimates, by 2030, Kerala would require close to 10,000 MW of power. We have no way of achieving this through domestic production and we will have to bring in power from the Central pool and from other states and we need better infrastructure for the same," the official added.

At present, Kerala has the installed infrastructure for handling only 4,260 MW supply.

Kerala has also requested to increase the power supply from the Central share and to increase the unallocated power share from the Talcher Power Plant of NTPC from 180 MW to 400 MW.

"Similarly, we have also requested to extend the contract for supply of 177 MW from Barh Super Thermal Power station to June as the contract for supply is only till March. We have also requested the Minister to increase the supply from 177 MW to 400 MW," the official said, adding that the union power minister has positively agreed, saying that a final decision can be taken only after analysing the supply schedule in March, this year.

Kerala also has demanded a Viability Gap Funding for its existing hydro-electric, pump storage plants and other power plants for bolstering the power supply and maintenance. It has also demanded a supply of 350 MW from the upcoming nuclear power station in Rajasthan.

"Another major point we raised, which all other Southern states are demanding, is that the expenses for the Power Grid Corporation's High Voltage Distribution System (HVDS), the power lines passing through Tamil Nadu to Kerala from Western India, should be considered a national property and all states should share the expenses," the official said adding that at present only the Southern states are bearing the expenses.

Kerala also demanded central government support for converting all overhead power cables to underground cables in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. "It is needed to avoid passing on the cost to the consumers," the official added.