New Delhi: Government today (Dec 2, 2004) told the Rajya Sabha that the country will have a capacity of producing 20,000 MW of nuclear power within the next 15 years and nine nuclear power plants are currently under various stages of construction.

Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan said the country was on target to enhance the nuclear power capacity to 20,000 MW by 2020.

During 2003-04, electricity generated from nuclear power was 17,861 million units, which is about 3.2 per cent of electricity generated by utilities in the country.

The generation for the period April-October (2004) stood at 9,386 million units, Chavan said.

The target production of electricity from nuclear power stations for the 10th plan is 82,495 million units, he said.

Chavan said the Government would undertake a three-phased programme for enhancing nuclear power.

While 12 heavy water reactors are already in operation as part of the first phase of nuclear energy production, the second phase would involve using fast breed reactors and the third using thorium based reactors, he said.