More reactors planned to increase nuclear power capacity

NEW DELHI: More reactors are planned during the 11th five-year plan and beyond to increase the country's nuclear power capacity, Government told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

"The existing nuclear power capacity will increase to 7280 MWe by end of 11th plan period on completion of projects under construction progressively," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan said in a written reply.

He said the current nuclear power capacity in India was 3900 MWe, which was about 3 per cent of the total installed capacity.

The percentage of electricity generated through nuclear power in the US, Japan and Germany was 19 per cent, 29 per cent and 31 per cent respectively, Chavan said, adding the share in India was low on account of low capacity base.

"Unlike other developed countries that have the benefit of shared technology development, our programme had to be self-reliant and, therefore, it took time to develop comprehensive capability in this frontier technology with restrictive trade barriers," he added.