NTPC, Nuclear Power Corp. to start project by March, spending ₹50,000 crore

livemint.com:

₹50,400 crore. The Union cabinet is expected to approve the transfer of the proposed nuclear power project from Nuclear Power Corp. to the joint venture shortly, said a person familiar with the development.

The investment per megawatt for the 7x400 MW project will be about ₹18 crore, this person added. The project is part of NTPC’s ambitious target to set up10 GW of nuclear power capacity over 10 years, investing ₹1.5 trillion. India currently has only about 7GW of nuclear power, considered a clean and non-fossil fuel.

Nuclear power comprises 20 GW of the government’s ambitious plan to install 500 GW of non-fossil power capacity by 2030. “We expect the laying of the foundation stone (for the Rajasthan project) in the next few months," said a second person. Both the people aware of the developments declined to be identified.

In May last year, both the state-run companies signed agreements to jointly develop two pressurised heavy-water reactor projects—the Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (4x700 MW), and the Chutka Madhya Pradesh Atomic Power Project (2x700MW)—through their joint venture, Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd. However, NTPC will not be a part of the project in Madhya Pradesh, which Nuclear Power Corp. will develop on its own, the first person mentioned above said.

NTPC and Nuclear Power Corp. did not immediately reply to emailed queries. NTPC is also looking for a technology partner for developing indigenous small modular reactors.