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Nuclear power is an important source of electric energy.
Since the late 1960s-70s, India decided to opt for nuclear
energy as a supplement to more conventional sources
of energy to meet its growing demand for power generation.
Today, in India, nuclear power generation holds the
third position, first being thermal followed by hydro.
In India, coal-based power plants are the biggest competitors
to nuclear power plants, mainly because of the cost
factor as well as the availability of vast reserves
of coal in India. However, existing coal reserves at
current levels of consumption would be enough to last
another 30 years. Therefore, it becomes very necessary
that we start harnessing nuclear power.
Research has shown that nuclear power is a genuine
economic option for power supply at locations far removed
from coal reserves, especially if hydel sources are
not available in those areas. Therefore, though the
capital cost of a nuclear power plant is 20 per cent
more than that of a coal-based plant, the running cost
of a coal-based plant is more if the plant is situated
1,000 km from the pithead.
Our nuclear power generating programme has gone through
many ups and downs. The Indian nuclear power programme
commenced in 1969 with the building of the twin units
of the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), with US
assistance. Four years later, in 1973, the first two
Indian Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), RAPS-1
and RAPS-2, using indigenous uranium, were built with
Canadian assistance. However, in 1974, after the first
peaceful nuclear experiment was conducted at Pokhran,
Canada withdrew its support. France also followed suit
and stopped supplying fuel for the Fast Breeder Test
Reactor (FBTR), which was under construction with French
assistance. The US too expressed its inability to fulfill
its contract to supply fuel for TAPS.
Despite this sudden withdrawal of foreign assistance,
the government decided to go ahead with its nuclear
programme with the help of its own R&D infrastructure
and with the help of Indian industry. This decision
spurred the indigenous growth capability of developing
substitutes for the denied products, technologies and
know-how. RAPS-2 started operating in 1981.
Since then, India has not looked back and has continued
on its chosen path, without depending on external help,
and is, in fact, the only developing country that has
demonstrated the capability to design, build, operate
and maintain nuclear power plants, as well as manufacture
equipment and the necessary components, special materials
and nuclear fuel.
However, it is no use denying the fact that lack of
foreign aid has had affected the growth of nuclear power
in India. The Indian government had launched a programme
to establish 10,000 MWe of nuclear power by 2000 AD,
but due to lack of budgetary support, as well as lack
of access to foreign sources of finance, it failed to
achieve its target. This was despite a fairly good performance
by the existing plants, providing 1,840 MWe of nuclear
power.
But then what should make us proud is the fact that
despite various problems, today India is one of the
few countries, which is entirely self-reliant in this
field. Therefore, over a period of time, since the fuel
cost of a uranium-based plant is lower, the unit energy
cost tends to remain stable with time.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPICL)
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is
a wholly owned Enterprise of the Government of India
under the administrative control of the Department of
Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. It has been
registered as a Public Limited Company under the Companies
Act, 1956 in Sept. 1987. The objectives were to undertake
the design, construction, operation and maintenance
of the atomic power stations for generation of electricity.
Presently, the company is operating six nuclear power
stations and is implementing construction of two ongoing
nuclear power projects. The existing operating power
stations of the company are Tarapur Atomic Power Station
Units-1&2 (TAPS-1&2) (Maharashtra), Rajasthan
Atomic Power Station Unit-2-4 (RAPS-2,3&4) (Rajasthan),
Madras Atomic Power Station Units-1&2 (MAPS-1&2)
(Tamil Nadu), Narora Atomic Power Station Units-1&2
(NAPS-1&2) (UP), Kakrapar Atomic Station Units-1&2
(KAPS-1&2) (Gujarat) and Kaiga Atomic Power station
(Kaiga-1&2).
Considering that the Nuclear Power is a safe and environmentally
clean source of power generation and that India has
vast thorium reserves, Nuclear Power Corporation of
India Limited is poised to play a leading role in future
to meet the ever-increasing energy demands of the country.
- Shravanti Choudhuri
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