France, UK willing to boost India's N-plan

MUMBAI: Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) is seeking foreign assistance to expand its programmes, NPC chairperson and managing director V K Chaturvedi has stated.
Addressing mediapersons here on Monday, he said NPC had to tap foreign sources because the government’s financial resources were limited. “We are looking for assistance both in the form of financial aid as well as equipment,’’ he said.
Asked to identify the countries where talks had been initiated, he said: “There were a number of countries in Europe.’’ Other sources, indicated that France and the UK were among the nations which were willing to help India’s nuclear power programme.To a question whether foreign help would affect India’s indigenous nuclear programmes, he denied it.
“Foreign assistance will only help us to expedite our projects,’’ he said. In this context, he cited the example of China which had its own nuclear power programmes, but at the same time had entered into collaboration with Canada, France and Russia.
The NPC chief said that eight nuclear reactors at four sites were under construction. These were two 540 megawatts reactors at Tarapur, two 220 megawatts reactors at Kaiga, two 220 megawatts reactors at Rajasthan and two 1000 megawatts reactors at Kudankulam.
According to him the total nuclear power capacity was projected to reach 10,000 megawatts in March 2012 and about 20,000 megawatts by 2020. At present the 14 power plants generated 2720 MW of electricity.
The NPC observed its 16th founder’s day on Monday. He said the average capacity factor of all the units was above 85 per cent which will increase to 90 per cent.