India to Build Ten Cost-Effective Nuclear Reactors

Sputnik News

17:11 17.05.2017(updated 17:16 17.05.2017)

In a major boost to the domestic nuclear power industry, the Indian government has decided to build ten indigenous pressurized heavy-water reactors (PWHR) of 700-megawatt capacity.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – The existing PWHR reactors in India have the capacity to generate between 220 MW and 700 MW. India expects the project to create more than 33,400 jobs in direct and indirect employment.

"The 10 new units will come up in a fleet mode as a fully homegrown initiative. It would be one of the flagship "Make in India" projects in this sector. With likely manufacturing orders of close to $10.52 billion to the domestic industry, the project will help transform Indian nuclear industry by linking our goal of a strong nuclear power sector with our indigenous industrial capacities in high-end technologies," India's energy minister Piyush Goyal told the media after the cabinet meeting.

It is also an attempt to prioritize the use of clean power in India's energy mix, as part of low-carbon growth strategy and to ensure long-term base load requirement for the nation's industrialization. India hopes to generate at least 25 percent of its energy using nuclear power plants.

India has current installed nuclear power capacity of 6780 MW from 22 operational plants. Another 6700 MW of nuclear power is expected to come on stream by 2021-22 through projects under construction.

Apart from domestic projects, the Indian government has been in negotiation with some countries for export of PWHR technology which is considered to be much cheaper and cost-effective.

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