Nuclear sector not expecting bounty, unlike 2016

“Unlike other industries, we do not have any new expectations from the Union Budget. Yes, it is true last year Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced annual additional allocation of Rs 3,000 crore to expand nuclear power capacity,” Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Sekhar Basu, who is also the Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), said. 

“Our focus now is on setting up 10 more 700 MW pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR). The PHWRs are our own technology. Apart from expanding the power generation capacity, this would give steady stream of orders for the domestic industry involved in the nuclear field,” Basu said. 

Presenting the Budget for 2016-17, Jaitley said: “In the power sector, we need to diversify the sources of power generation for long-term stability. Government is drawing up a comprehensive plan, spanning next 15 to 20 years, to augment the investment in nuclear power generation.” 

Echoing Basu was SK Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. He said: “When a project is designed, the funding part is finalised after discussions with the government.” Sharma said new sites to house reactors – indigenous as well as foreign – are being explored.