Nuclear Power Programme

The Government is committed to implement the third stage of Indian Nuclear Power Programme, after an adequate nuclear installed capacity has been reached based on Fast Breeder Reactors to be set up in the second stage.  On account of non-existence of any fissile isotope in naturally occurring Thorium (unlike that existing in Uranium), commercial utilisation of Thorium, on a significant scale, can begin only when abundant supply of either Uranium or Plutonium resources are available.  Upon the launch, followed by a significant growth of a thorium based nuclear programme in this manner, it could be possible to maintain the achieved level (without much further growth) of nuclear power programme with thorium alone, without additional demands on uranium or plutonium resources. Therefore, considering the meager domestic uranium resources in the country, it is feasible to start a significant commercial level Thorium based reactor programme in our country only after an adequate inventory of Plutonium becomes available from our Fast Breeder Reactors, comprising the second stage of Indian nuclear programme.  Accordingly, the utilisation of Thorium as a practically inexhaustible energy source has been contemplated during the third stage of the Indian nuclear programme, which can be reached after a few decades.                         Substantial work has been carried out in the areas of research on technologies for utilisation of Thorium in nuclear fuel cycle, and on the development of an Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR), to serve as a technology demonstrator for use of thorium based fuel on a large scale.         The details are given below: Projects initiated in the last five years: Project Location Capacity (MW) Completion Cost (`crore) Kakrapar Atomic Power Project Units 3&4 (KAPP 3&4) Kakrapar, Gujarat 2 X 700 11459 Rajasthan Atomic Power Project Units 7&8 (RAPP 7&8) Rawatbhata, Rajasthan 2 X 700 12320   The details of Nuclear Power Projects planned for start of work in the XII Five Year      Plan are given below : Project Location Capacity (MW) Indigenous Reactors Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana (GHAVP 1&2) Gorakhpur, Haryana 2 x 700 Chutka Madhya Pradesh Atomic Power Project (CMPAPP 1&2) Chutka, Madhya Pradesh 2 x 700 Mahi Banswara, 1 & 2 Mahi Banswara, Rajasthan 2 x 700 Kaiga 5 & 6 Kaiga, Karnataka 2 x 700 Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR 1&2) Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu 2 x 500 Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) Location to be decided       300 Reactors with Foreign Cooperation Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP 3&4) Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu 2 x 1000 Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP 1&2) Jaitapur, Maharashtra 2 x 1650 Kovvada, 1 & 2 Kovvada, Andhra Pradesh 2 x 1500 Chhaya Mithi Virdi, 1&2 Chhaya Mithi Virdi, Gujarat 2 x 1100