Progress in INDO-US Nuclear Deal
The fruition of International cooperation in nuclear energy or Indo – US nuclear deal as has been commonly known, has resulted in enabling import of fuel for reactors placed under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Safeguards and paved the way for setting up of large capacity Light Water Reactors (LWRs) with foreign technical cooperation. In this regard, the Government has accorded ‘in principle’ approval of five coastal sites and designated them for locating such reactors in cooperation with the Russian Federation, France & the USA. Two projects, KKNPP 3&4 (2X1000 MW) and KKNPP 5&6 (2X1000 MW), to be set up in technical cooperation with Russian Federation at Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu have been accorded financial sanction. Construction of KKNPP 3&4 has commenced. Discussions with technology partners from France and USA have commenced to arrive at viable project proposals.
At present there are nine reactors under construction and another twelve have been accorded administrative approval and financial sanction by the government, work on which is being taken up progressively.
The Government has recently accorded financial sanction for ten indigenous 700 MW reactors and two reactors to be set up in technical cooperation with Russian Federation [KKNPP 5&6 (2X1000 MW)].
The approved completion cost of KKNPP 1 to 6 is Rs. 106740 crore for the total capacity of 6 x 1000 MW.
This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
