Centre mulls setting up nuke plant in northern India

The Centre is exploring possibilities of establishing nuclear power plants in northern states of Uttarakhand, Punjab and Haryana, said Union Minister for Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh at an ASSOCHAM event on Tuesday here. 

“The present NDA government can stake claim of having set up an atomic energy plant in Gorakhpur in Haryana, so we have brought atomic energy northwards, which it had been waiting for 60-70 years and we made it to cross through Delhi because atomic energy never had the opportunity to see the capital of this country,” said Dr Singh while inaugurating the conference on nuclear power in India.

He said that atomic energy remained confined only to Maharashtra, the western coast, Tamil Nadu, parts of Andhra Pradesh. “So now we are exploring the possibilities of having such establishments in other possible places for example, near Dehradun in Uttarakhand, in Punjab near Patiala and in Bhiwandi in Haryana are being explored as venues for atomic plants,” he added.Highlighting the cost-effective aspect of nuclear energy, he said “The nuclear power plant being set up in Haryana will become operational by about next year at the cost of just Rs 6 per unit. 

Atomic energy had remained confined to certain parts of the country, in Tarapur for obvious reasons because Dr Bhabha had set up his first establishment in Mumbai then we had south but we hardly had any presence in north India.”

He added that within a period of next 10 years, India will have at least 25 per cent source of energy from nuclear sector. “Energy needs of the country are growing very fast and it is going to be cost-effective. The challenge would be to how best to put it (nuclear energy) to use,” said Singh.