<p>Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project<br></p>

BENGALURU: India will have 12 more nuclear power stations shortly to improve the power situation and ensure free flow of uninterrupted power supply for both Industries and residential usage, KN Vyas, secretary, Dept of Atomic Energy and Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, said at the International AtomExpo at Sochi in Russia.

A statement shared with TOI, Vyas said: “Nuclear Technology helps in betterment of lives through varied usages and is an irreplaceable source of clean, pollution-free energy. The founder of Indian nuclear programme, Homi J Bhabha had envisaged that nuclear technology is going to be very essential and not just in the power sector but for other societal uses intended for betterment of life.”

Vyas said that India believed that when it comes to clean energy, definitely, there is no substitute to nuclear energy as it is sustainable, and without interruption.

Pointing out to the recent record run of Kaiga Nuclear Power station as an example, he said that a small unit of indigenously-developed 220-250MW reactor has completed 962 days of uninterrupted run at about 99.3% of capacity.

“The amount of electricity it has been able to give in tremendous,” Vyas said. The first stage of India’s indigenous nuclear power programme has now attained maturity with 18 operating Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs).

The Eleventh International Forum Atomexpo 2019 was officially opened in Sochi with the motto of this year being ‘Nuclear for better life’. More than 3,600 participants from 74 countries participated in the Expo. The new countries represented at the forum were Qatar, Bahrain and Nicaragua .

The statement quoted Alexey Likhachev, General Director of Rosatom State Corporation, as having said: “Peaceful Atom is associated with all aims and goals of the UN Sustainable Development Program. The Forum became a space for discussing the latest technologies thus ensuring a base for the future of our planet.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin in an issued statement also applauded AtomExpo in advancing the stature of Russia in the field of nuclear technology.

Indian Nuclear Industry has got a lease of life following the sanction of the Centre for construction of 10 PHWRs in fleet mode. Alongside this, plans are afoot for the construction of two light water reactors.

“Indian industries have also gained a lot through the process. Nuclear energy and instruments requires a guided and systematic way of manufacturing and quality assurance. This raises the standard of industry participating in the manufacturing of equipments,” Vyas said, stating the benefits of having a thriving nuclear industry.

He said that nuclear power plants not only benefit manufacturing in India, but also improves the local economy surrounding the areas where these reactors are located.

