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Pre-project work started for six power units: NPCIL official

Special Correspondent

"Koodankulam project designed to withstand shock waves" The first and second units of the Koodankulam project would start generating power by 2007 and 2008 respectively, says Mr. Agrawal

CHENNAI: The Executive Director (Light Water Reactors), Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), S.K. Agrawal, said on Tuesday that the country had miles to go before it could achieve the ambitious target fixed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to generate 40,000 MW nuclear power in ten years. Shortly after inaugurating a photo exhibition related to the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project at the Russian Cultural Centre here, he said though it might look difficult to think beyond generating 25,000 MW of nuclear power within the stipulated period considering the present capacity of around 3,260 MW by all the 15 units, the target had to be met much earlier to fulfil the needs of the country.

Pre-project activity had started with regard to six new projects, including four LWR units, he said. As of now, two units at Jaitapur in Maharashtra and two more units at Koodankulam with 1000 MW capacity each were to be set up based on LWR while two heavy water units each with 700 MW capacity would come up at Kakrapara in Gujarat. But their capacity and technology could be finalised only on the basis of negotiations with the international nuclear suppliers group, he pointed out.

On the Koodankulam project, Mr. Agrawal said the first and second units would start generating power by 2007 and 2008 respectively. The overall civil works in the first unit were over and in the case of the second unit, the works were nearing completion. "We have entered the crucial phase of equipment erection." He also commended the Russian experts for extending cooperation to their Indian counterparts.

To a query, he said though the exact tariff for the power generated by the two units was not yet finalised, it would be affordable. It could be on a par with the cost of power generated by other units or less than that.

Site clearance obtained

On the pre-project activities relating to the new two units at Koodankulam, he said though site clearance had been obtained, the NPCIL had to get environmental clearance from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board. The Corporation would go through the entire process. He categorically said that there would be no violation of any stipulation.

Highlighting the technical aspects of the Koodankulam project, Mr. Agrawal said even the tsunami had no impact on the project site. It had been so designed to withstand any shock wave, tornado, floods and air crash.

Replying to a query on the impact of the cooperation between India and the United States in nuclear power for civilian purposes, Mr. Agrawal said India had not resorted to any clandestine activity in its nuclear power programmes. "We have opened our nuclear power plants to peer review by international experts, who come and review aspects such as their procedures, facilities, maintenance and operational data."

K.C. Purohit, Project Director, KNPP, and Vladislav V.Antonyuk, Consul General of the Russian Federation in Southern India, also participated in the function.

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