Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today dedicated two 540 MWe units of nuclear power reactors at the Tarapur Atomic Power Project (TAPP) to the nation.
Mumbai, Aug 31 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today dedicated two 540 MWe units of nuclear power reactors at the Tarapur Atomic Power Project (TAPP) to the nation.
The Units III and IV have been built by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), a public sector undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy.
Singh today complimented the scientists and the engineers for building the two Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) in less than five years.
"There can be no greater tribute to our capabilities than the fact that Units II and IV of TAPS have been commissioned ahead of schedule and well within the sanctioned cost," Singh said in his address.
Since Uranium is not abundantly found in India, and the PHWRs uses Uranium as fuel and heavy water both as moderator and coolant, Singh today urged the scientists to expeditiously develop fast breeder reactor technologies and intensify efforts to locate additional uranium resources in the country.
Singh today stressed on the country's three-stage nuclear power programme which he termed as the "bedrock" of the country's long-term strategy for energy.
"This unique Thorium-based technology will become an economically viable alternative over a period of time," he said, since India has a vast Thorium reserve.
India has seventeen power reactors, which are largely Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor plants.
Singh today defended the quest for the nuclear energy as the country's long term strategic energy goal on three counts. First, the depleting natural reserve of coal, gas and petroleum. Secondly, the country does not have many choices in selecting the energy source and lastly, the nuclear energy is affordable not only financially but also in terms of the cost to the environment.
Without referring directly to the Indo-US nuclear deal that has seen ballistic opposition from the Left and the Opposition BJP, the Prime Minister defended the steps required to be taken for operationalising the deal by saying that the "international cooperation" would open the gate for India's nuclear commerce with 45-member Nuclear Suppliers' Group, thereby ending the country's "nuclear isolation" of the past few decades.
He also complimented Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Dr. nil Kakodkar for guiding the development of the country's nuclear programme, and said the country is fortunate to have a person of the eminence and distinction of him.
Dr. Kakodkar, who was earlier sceptic of the Indo-US nuclear deal, played a pivotal role in the finalisation of the text of the 123-agreement with the US along with National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.
ANI