The union cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday gave its approval to the construction of 10 indigenous heavy water plants, to give a boost to nuclear power generation capacity in the country.
Representative image | AP
"To fast-track India’s domestic nuclear power programme, and give a push to country’s nuclear industry, the Union Cabinet has given its approval for construction of 10 units of India’s indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR). The total installed capacity of the Plants will be 7000 MW," a government statement based on the cabinet decision said.
The note said that this will give a boost to the prime minister's flagship 'Make in India' programme and create orders of close to Rs 70,000 crore in the domestic industry.
"The projects will bring about substantial economies of scale and maximise cost and time efficiencies. It is expected to generate 33,400 jobs in direct and indirect employment," Piyush Goyal, union minister of power, coal and renewable energy, said briefing media persons on the cabinet decisions.
Currently, India has installed nuclear power capacity of 6,780 MW from 22 operational plants. Another 6,700 MWs of nuclear power is expected to come onstream by 2021-22 through projects presently under construction.
"For forty years, the role played by our scientists in developing and operating pressurised heavy water reactors has been globally acclaimed. It underscores the mastery our nuclear scientists have attained in over all aspects of indigenous PHWR technology," Goyal said announcing the cabinet decision.