NEW DELHI: Amidst the economic growth, India has also come on the cusp of nuclear energy resurgence with its ongoing enhancement generation capacity along with the execution of new projects. The government is currently working to enhance the installed capacity of nuclear energy from 6,780MW to 22,480MW by 2031.
Informing the Upper House of Parliament about the country’s progress in the nuclear energy sector on Thursday, Dr Jitendra Singh- union minister in -charge of PMO and atomic energy, said that the total electricity generation by Nuclear Power Plants in 2021-22 was 47,112 million units, which stood at about 3.15% of the total electricity generation.
The minister also said that the government at the Centre has also accorded administrative approval and financial sanction for 10 Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 7000 MW capacity each to be set up in fleet mode in Karnataka, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan at the cost of Rs 105000 crore.
“At present, there are 22 nuclear power plants operational and the government has also accorded ‘in-principle’ approval to set up nuclear power plants at 5 more new sites”, the minister said, adding that on the completion of all projects, the installed capacity of nuclear energy generation will go up to 22480MW by 2031 from the 6780 MW now.
With the growing capacity of the country’s energy generation by nuclear power plants, the country has also mapped the areas which are supposed to be at risk of nuclear radiological emergencies. The minister also informed that the government after mapping areas at the risk of nuclear radiological emergencies has established 25 Radiation Emergency Response Centres through the Department of Atomic Emergency (DAE) along with the installation of Radiation Monitors at 540 locations.
The Radiation Monitors have been set up at 540 locations in the country under Indian Environment Radiation Monitoring Network to monitor any increase in radiation level over the background in the country. He also informed the Upper House that Atomic Energy Commission has also accorded ‘in-principle’ approval for new projects to augment the Uranium products and supply from indigenous sources with a view to cater for the fuel requirement of upcoming nuclear reactors covered under domestic safeguards.
Sharing details on electricity generation from nuclear resources, the minister said “In 2017-18, India had generated 38336 million units of electricity from nuclear power plants. India has generated 47112 million units of electricity and revenue Rs 15030 crore in 2021-22”.
He also informed that India imports nuclear raw materials from Russia, Kazakhstan, Canada and France.