Tuesday, May 9 2006 16:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is going ahead with work required for environmental clearance for two more Russian nuclear power plants at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu, an official said today (May 9, 2006) .

Following the Indian government's site clearance for units 3 and 4 of thousand megawatts Russian VVER-1000 plantsat Kudankulam along with two more plants of 1000 MW each at Jaitapur in Maharashtra few months back, NPCIL has started its preparation for getting clearances from Pollution Control Boards of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, S K Agarwal, Chief Executive for Light Water Plants of NPCIL told sources.

As both NPCIL and Russian Atomic Ministry fear some delay in the progress of Kudankulam Atomic Power Plants Units 1 and 2, slated for commissioning in 2007 and 2008 respectively, a Task force was formed last month and the progress of these two units is being closely monitored.

The task force report is likely to be ready by the end of May," Agarwal said.

However, "We are going ahead with the pre-environmental clearance work at both Kudankulan (for Units 3 and 4) and the two proposed units at Jaitapur," he said.

NPCIL is also working on the pre-environment clearance requisites for four indigenous pressurised Heavy Water Reactors of 700 MW each - two units at Kakrapar in Gujarat and two in Rajasthan, Agarwal added.

He said for the first time NPCIL conducted a public hearing meeting at Kakrapar on April 21 as per the amended act of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.