Nuclear power to generate 20,000 MW by 2020

Mumbai: India’s three-stage nuclear power programme, which aims to generate 20,000 MW of power by 2020, is on track and could even exceed the target, said Dr Anil Kakodkar, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy.

He was addressing the media at the International Conference on Topical Issues in Nuclear Installation Safety, organised by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Dr Kakodkar said that the country would be able to achieve 7,280 MW of nuclear power generation by 2011. The rest of the generation capacity would be achieved once pressurised heavy water reactors and imported light water reactors come on stream by 2020, he said.

Negotiations on an ‘Additional Protocol’ relating to inspection of 14 Indian nuclear installations, which are covered under the safeguard agreements, are under way with IAEA, said Dr Kakodkar. He declined to give a date as to when the negotiations would be completed.

Additional Protocol is a legal document complementing comprehensive safeguards agreements. The measures enable the IAEA not only to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material but also to provide assurances as to the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in a country.

Earlier in the day, while addressing the delegates at the conference, Dr Kakodkar said the Indian nuclear programme is expected to see a paradigm shift in the coming years. Its three-stage nuclear programme has reached state-of-art capability and in some areas it is a pioneer. The programme will also bring about growth in light and heavy water reactors, he said.

“There are many new dimensions to the programme and we cannot distinguish it from nuclear safety, because they have to go hand in hand. We have to manage additional plants, new technology, deployment of technology in terms of new infrastructure and deployment of additional infrastructure in old plants where there is crisis of manpower,” Dr Kakodkar said.