Indian Govt Allocates Rs.10,000 Crores Per Annum for Nuclear Plants’ Expansion

Indian Minister endorses that the government has allocated Rs 10,000 Crores per year for next 10 years as it strategies to expand Nuclear plants in the country

Minister of state for atomic energy Jitendra Singh believed the “Modi government has earmarked an exclusive budget, around Rs 10,000 crore per year, for 10 years for the nuclear plant expansion program”.

 “Being a sensitive subject, we could not involve private players. With the government’s nod for JV, PSUs now provide funds and DoAE provides them the required expertise in setting up N-plants,” he held.

Singh said the northern states of Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and J&K do not have any Nuclear plant. Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana (GHAVP) will be the first-ever atomic plant among the five states. The plant situated in Haryana’s Fatehabad district “will be up and running in the next 2 to 3 years” and provide cheap electricity to northern cities.

As per reports, GHAVP, which will have two units of 700MW capacity each, will cost Rs 20,594 crore. The plant, for which land acquisition is now complete, will also provide employment to around 2,000 people.

The minister said the Haryana plant is the result of the government’s focus to “set up nuclear power plants in north and northeastern India”. “Till now, most of the Nuclear plants were confined to either south or western India. We are now exploring areas in Bihar, Punjab and Meghalaya for setting up nuclear reactors. However, we are facing issues like water shortage, earthquake and security problems in these areas. But the endeavor to explore other areas has already started.”