NTPC scouts for nuke power plant sites in AP
Maharatna PSU plans 30 GW nuclear capacity by 2047; prefers low seismic zones
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Visakhapatnam: Maharatna NTPC Limited is scouting for suitable sites in Andhra Pradesh to establish nuclear power plants as part its plan to generate 30 GW of nuclear power at various locations across the country by 2047.
NTPC has already formed a joint venture company to foray into the nuclear power sector by setting up a plant in Rajasthan, for which the foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi late last year. The plant, with a capacity of 4X700 MW is being set up by NTPC and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) under the newly formed joint venture, Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Limited (ASHVINI).
Reliable sources told Bizz Buzz that NTPC is preferring to locate most of its proposed 30 nuclear power plants in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat due to low seismic risk, availablity of heavy water, better infrastructure, and the support of local governments.
Other States where it is considering identifying suitable sites for Processed Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) include Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar.
NPCIL, another central PSU, is currently producing 8 GW through 23 reactors and has plans to scale this up to 22.5 GW by 2030. NTPC, on the other hand, has plans set a target of generating 30 GW of nuclear power by 2047.
As part of the Nuclear Energy Mission, the Government of India has set a target to achieve 100 GW of nuclear power generation by 2047, in line with the Vikasit Bharat Vision.
Sources said that there has been no headway so far in identifying probable sites, as it is a sensitive issue. After taking all factors into consideration, details if any, on the progress will be made public.
Though around 2,000 acres were acquired long ago for NPCIL’s Kovvada Nuclear Power Plant near Ranasthalam in Srikakulam district for establishing 6,000 MW to 7,218 MW nuclear power plant, there has been no progress on the project so far. The project is envisaged with an investment of at least Rs.1 lakh crore to Rs.2.8 lakh crore.
Meanwhile, NTPC has formed NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) in collaboration with New & Renewable Energy Corporation of Andhra Pradesh (NREDCO) to set up 25 MW renewabe energy capacity, including India’s first Green Hydrogen Hub with a capacity of 0.5 million tones, at Pudimadaka near here.
