India looks to double its nuclear power capacity as Cabinet approves 10 new reactors
These will add 7,000 MW of energy to the 6,780 MW the country currently produces, the government said.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a proposal to set up 10 new India-built reactors that can generate nuclear power. Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors were approved at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The reactors are expected to be generate 7,000 MW of power, almost doubling India’s current nuclear power capacity of 6,780 MW, IANS reported. However, it is unclear where these will be set up or how long they will take to become operational.
The nuclear power plants are part of a government larger scheme to make India self-sufficient in its energy needs and boost its position among the countries that produce nuclear power, Economic Times reported. Goyal said the new reactors will also create thousands of new jobs.