India Targets 470,000 Megawatts of Nuclear Power Generating Capacity by 2050

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is optimistic that if the country's three-stage nuclear power program is managed well, domestic nuclear power generating capacity will reach 470,000 megawatts (MW) by 2050. The announcement was made during the inauguration of an international conference on peaceful use of nuclear energy. Dr. Singh indicated that atomic power also will help India reduce dependence on traditional fuel sources, control greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce environmental pollution.

India has embarked on a three-pronged nuclear power development program. This includes construction of 28 new reactors, which will achieve the target of 40,000 MW of additional power generating capacity by 2020. India is now in the second stage of the program, which involves building plutonium-based fuel processing plants, Fast Breeder Reactors and re-processing facilities. The third stage of the program will include thorium-based reactors. India has one of the largest deposits of thorium in the world. The country has 363,000 tons of thorium along its eastern and southern coasts. Therefore, thorium-based reactors are a commercially viable option for India. The most naturally occurring form of thorium is monazite, which contains up to 12% thorium oxide. There are proven reserves of 12 million tons of monazite in the world.

In a recent statement, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (Vienna, Austria) indicated that Asian countries, especially China, India and South Korea, will witness unprecedented growth in nuclear power generation. According to experts, India's 2050 nuclear power target is five times the current U.S. nuclear power generating capacity of 100,000 MW. Reportedly, the target exceeds both the U.S. and Chinese 2050 nuclear power target. India's current total power generating capacity is less than 20% of China's total electricity production.

However, the IAEA has voiced concerns about safety measures and nuclear proliferation. Mohammed El-Baradei, Director General of IAEA, has urged emerging economies to ensure that the nuclear raw materials are not diverted for other uses.

In a related development, India has identified and approved one location each in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat for the U.S.-based firms to develop nuclear parks. These parks, which will consist of six to eight reactors each, are part of the bilateral 2008 Indo-U.S. nuclear agreement, the framework for which was signed by the two countries in 2005. The sites identified are Kovada in Andhra Pradesh and Mithi Virdi in Gujarat. Haripur in West Bengal has been selected for a similar nuclear park, which will be developed with Russian assistance.

Experts indicate that India's proposed nuclear power target is on the higher end of IAEA's 2030 target estimates. The agency is not sure if India will be able to sustain continuous momentum and growth for four decades. The success of the nuclear program is also dependent on the cost of nuclear technology, reactors, and nuclear feed, and prices of traditional fuels. There are also doubts about India attaining this target, as India's energy sector is rife with bureaucracy, corruption and red tape, which have stalled several infrastructure projects.

India has 17 operating nuclear power plants, generating about 4,120 MW of power annually. Three reactors with a combined capacity of 2,660 MW are under construction.

India is a late entrant in the nuclear power sector due to the 34-year international nuclear trade embargo. In October last year, with the lifting of the trade ban, India opened doors to several international energy firms. Despite being a late entrant in this sector, India is expected to attract domestic and international investments of more than $27 billion in its nuclear sector in the next decade and a half.

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