Difficult To Achieve 2020 Atomic Power Capacity Target: B K Chaturvedi

NEW DELHI: Questions raised over its viability and security will delay the capacity addition of nuclear power generation, making it difficult to achieve the targetted 20,000 MW by 2020, says a Planning Commission Member.
“The pace at which we are progressing I will be surprised if we reach 20,000 MW by 2020,” Planning Commission Member (Energy) B K Chaturvedi told PTI.
The current nuclear power generation capacity is 4,780 MW and the government had set a target of taking this capacity to 20,000 MW by 2020.
At present, 20 nuclear power reactors are in operation and seven new reactors are under construction.
“By 2020, capacity at best can only reach 25,000-30,000 MW but at the pace at which we are progressing I don’t see it more than 15,000 MW,” Chaturvedi said.
“There are questions about the viability and security of the nuclear projects … if we remove the misgivings on account of nuke energy it would help,” he said.
Asked whether fuel is a constraint, Chaturvedi said, “Fuel is not a constraint.”