The Indian Railways,which had planned to set up captive power plants to meet its energy requirements,is now eyeing nuclear energy. The railways has expressed interest for captive nuclear power of 1000 MW (two units of 500 MW each). The Railways want to examine the possibilities. We are looking into it, said Srikumar Banerjee,Secretary,Department of Atomic Energy. The two proposed units would not impact the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL)s plan for setting up ten nuclear plants of which four plants have already been approved,he added. According to the current cost,the two small nuclear plants,for which the Railways has adequate land,would cost around Rs 10,000 crore. The NPCIL,which would be the executing agency,might use indigenous high pressure water technology reactor in these plants. Our 500/700 MW nuclear power plants are more cost effective than imported technology, said Banerjee. If the plans materialise,the arrangement could be on the lines of the joint venture that Indian Railways signed with NTPC Bhartiya Rail Bijlee Company for setting up a captive power plant at Nabinagar in Bihars Aurangabad district. The plant would have a capacity of 1000 MW. The Indian Railways is also planning to set up another power plant of 1,320 MW at Adra in West Bengals Purulia district to avail traction supply at economical rates. Out of the four units of the 250 MW at Nabinagar power plant,the first unit was likely to be commissioned by March 2012 and the other three after every three months thereafter.
