Thursday, August 18 2005 16:13 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Work on setting up of nine nuclear power plants at the total cost of Rs 29,542 crore is going on in full swing, Rajya Sabha was informed today (Aug 18,2005).

Stating this in a written reply, Minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office Prithviraj Chavan said while three reactors are being set up in Tamil Nadu with the total capacity of 2500 MW, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka are setting up two reactors each with the capacity in MW 1080, 440 and 440, respectively.

TAPP Unit-4 (540 MW) in Maharashtra has been connected to grid on fourth June 2005 and expected to commence commercial operation in August 2005, he said.

To another question, Chavan said total power generation from different nuclear power plants in the country during 2004-05 was about 16,500 MUs.

He said 14 reactors with installed capacity of 2770 MW have generated 17010 Million Units in 2004-05.

The generation of power in 2005-06 is expected to be around 17000 million units.

Chavan said the present installed capacity of 2770 MW is expected to reach 7280 MW by March 2011 with the progressive completion of projects under construction. More projects are also planned so as to reach the capacity of 20,000 MW by the year 2020.

• Thermonuclear: Chavan said India has decided to join the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Project as a full member and letters expressing its interest have been sent to all ITER partners.
  
  The financial implication on India's part is presently estimated at Rs 2500 crore over a period of ten years, which will be in the form of in kind contribution such as equipment and services of personnel, he said.
  
  
• Agreement: Chavan said India and Europe have signed an agreement of Co-Operation with for Nuclear Research in 1991, and subsequently a protocol was signed in 1996, whereby, India joined in the construction and utilisation of the largest particle accelerator in the world Large Hadron Collider.
  
  This, he said, has enabled scientists and engineers from various national laboratories and universities to participate in frontline research in Physics.
  
  
• Meteorology: India Meteorology department was in the process of establishing a denser network of observations and Doppler Radars with capacity of capturing the small scale details of rain bearing weather systems, Minister of state for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal said.
  
  "These observational facilities in conjunction with the advanced regional predictions systems that are being developed will help in understanding and forecasting localised rainfall events", he said.
  
  However, he made it clear that Chief Minister of Maharashtra was apprised of the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rain in a meeting convened by him on 26th July 2005.
  
  
  PTI