BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has given in-principle approval to feasibility studies for setting up nuclear power plants at multiple locations, with state-run NTPC and private sector major Adani Power exploring sites in the state.
Replying to a question by former minister and BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain in the Assembly, deputy chief minister and Energy minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo said NTPC had been permitted to conduct feasibility studies at four locations. Of these, it has selected a site near Deogarh for further action.
Official sources said three other sites were identified in Cuttack, Nayagarh and Nabarangpur districts. After preliminary assessments, NTPC is stated to have ruled out two of the four sites as unsuitable for development.
The government has also granted in-principle approval to Adani Power to undertake feasibility studies at Balimela dam in Malkangiri district and Manjore dam in Angul district. The minister, however, clarified that all the proposals are currently at the stage of preliminary surveys and feasibility assessment and no final decision has been taken on setting up or operating a nuclear power plant.
The development comes against the backdrop of growing private sector interest in nuclear power in Odisha. On July 30, a delegation of Adani Group met Singh Deo and proposed an investment of around `1.5 lakh crore in the state’s energy sector.
The proposal included two nuclear power plants of 3,000 MW each, besides a 2,400-MW ultra-supercritical thermal power project and multiple pumped storage projects.
Tata Group has also approached the state government with a proposal for a nuclear power project. According to officials, Tata has proposed four 200 MW nuclear power units in Malkangiri, although the group has not yet indicated the investment size. The Energy department said no final decision has been taken on the Tata Group proposals.
The Adani proposal is part of a broader push by the state to attract large investments in the power sector, with the company indicating that the proposed projects could generate more than 22,000 direct and indirect jobs. The proposal is still subject to feasibility studies, regulatory clearances and decisions on implementation.