The Hindu Business Line : NPCIL to add 10,000 MW capacity using imported fuel

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New Delhi March 6 State-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is looking to set up new generation capacity of up to 10,000 MW using imported uranium over the next 5-10 years in the wake of the Indo-US nuclear deal. This could entail investments of nearly Rs 60,000 crore.

"We are planning to start work on 10,000 MW (of capacity) based on imported fuel (uranium)," Mr S. Thakur, NPCIL's Executive Director, told reporters on the sidelines of a summit on Indo-US cooperation.

NPCIL hopes to set up the plants over the next 5 to 10 years, he said.

Locations

The company is scouting for locations along the coastline, where fuel can be easily imported, instead of locations in the hinterland.

Mr Thakur said funds for the new plants would largely be mobilised from internal accruals and borrowings.

NPCIL, which has an installed capacity of about 3,900 MW, is simultaneously planning to add another 5,600 MW of nuclear power capacity based on domestic uranium supplies. The utility is currently building around 3,000 MW of additional capacity that is expected to be operational in the next two years.

Indigenous uranium supplies are insufficient to support such large-scale expansion of the country's existing nuclear power generation capacity. Last year, India and the US agreed to cooperate in the field of civil nuclear energy, allowing India the possibility of access to imported uranium and technology to expand its nuclear power generation. The deal will also open avenues for the US and other nuclear energy companies to do business in India.

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