After Chutka, one more N- plant to come up in MP
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19/02/2012
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Free Press Journal
While the plan to set up a nuclear power plant at Chutka in Mandla district is yet to take shape, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd ( NPCIL) has identified another site in the state to establish one more plant. 'Madhya Pradesh has the capacity to house more than one nuclear plant… so, apart from Chutka, we have identified one more site in the state for setting up Plant, 'Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Srikumar Banarjee told reporters on the sidelines of the Foundation Day celebration of Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, on Sunday.
However, he did not disclose the name of the new site. 'The governments nod on the selected site is still awaited,'he added. Over delay in establishment of atomic station at Chutka, he stated that the process to acquire land was still underway. 'Until and unless, the land is acquired and handed over to us, we can't give any deadline for setting up the proposed station,'he cleared.
The NPCIL is planning to set up 1400 MW atomic power station at Chukta. There will be two units at the station, each of which would produce 700 MW power.
Stressing on the need for increasing production of electricity through nuclear energy, Banarjee said that the atomic energy contribution to the countrys total power generation is 4780 MW ( that is about 3 per cent) presently.
'We have set a target to increase the percentage and produce 27400 power through by the end of 12th Five Year Plan,'he added.
Talking about augmenting capacity, he said that things had changed after Tsunami attack at Fukushima in Japan. 'Since the incident, we have become extra cautious.
We reviewed security arrangements of our nuclear plants.'The top scientist said that the radiation level at Indias nuclear plants is .088 while that of Japans plants is .38.
Over Jaitapur plant controversy, Banarjee cleared that the plant would be set up only after taking confidence of local people.
Public perception and not the technical glitches are the hurdles before new nuclear plants, he said.