Nuclear power target for 2011-12 achieved

CHENNAI: Nuclear plants in the country achieved the production target set for 2011–12 by producing 32,000 million units, Shiv Abhilash Bhardwaj, Director (Technical), NPCIL said here on Tuesday. “We achieved 32,000 million units this morning. So, as a company, we have met our annual target,” the scientist said. The country now had a total capacity of 4,680 MW from nuclear plants and was looking to set up a “very large number of plants” in the near future. However, he pointed out that some plants were operating at lower capacity owing to fuel supply mismatch. “But very soon, that problem is going to be solved because Tummalapalli mine (in Andhra Pradesh) is getting commissioned. In a couple of months, we will start getting uranium from that mine,” he said.On nuclear collaboration with South Korea, he said the country had offered a 1,400 MW reactor, but some design changes are needed to fit India’s requirements. Negotiations with France were at a preliminary stage, he added.