Centre accepts site for nuclear power plant in Haryana

NEW DELHI: The Centre has accepted the site identified by the Haryana government for setting up a nuclear power plant, a top government official said on Friday.

"The Government of India has informed us that Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd has accepted the location at Kumharia village in Fatehabad district," Principal Secretary (Power), Haryana, R N Parasher said at a PHDCCI interaction.

However, the Union Government has given no indication about when the project would be started, he said.

"They have said Haryana will get a nuclear plant in future," he said, adding that the state government would be pushing for including Haryana in the Centre's priority list.

Parasher said as the state did not have other fuel sources such as coal, gas or even wind, a nuclear power plant would help tide over the shortage.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had earlier approved in principle Haryana's demand for setting up a nuclear power project.

He said the state government is also augmenting generating capacity by about 4,000 MW in the next four years, besides upgrading transmission and distribution networks.

During the 11th plan, the state government has chalked out a total capital outlay of Rs 16,000 crore on the power sector, he said, adding that the 600 MW Yamunanagar plant and a 1,000 MW Hisar plant would be commissioned by 2009.

The state government had earlier signed MoUs with various companies to set up gas-based projects with a total capacity of 4,500 MW, he said, adding the plants are yet to take off due to paucity of gas.