Decision to buy foreign reactors will be based on safety: Government

NEW DELHI: Any decision to buy foreign reactors will be based strictly on cost viability and safety standards of the project, the government said today.

In a written response to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said talks with General Electric, one of the two US-based companies which are to build atomic reactors in the country, are at a preliminary stage.

The Department of Atomic Energy reports to the PMO.

"Decision to buy any foreign-build reactor will be firmly premised on ascertaining the cost viability of the project as well as the soundness and safety of relevant technology.

"Therefore, in addition to ascertaining the safety features, the government also places utmost emphasis on project cost and unit energy cost in all the negotiations for foreign-built reactors, so as to ensure that electricity generated by these nuclear power plants will remain viable vis-avis other competitive resources," Singh said.

The DAE is currently in talks with Westinghouse Electric Corporation of the US and EDF of France to build 12 atomic reactors in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra respectively.

In response to another question, the minister said the cost of power generation from Kudankulam Nuclear Plant (KKNPP), built with the help of Russia, is Rs 4.10 per unit.