By IANS,
Kolkata: Construction of a nuclear power plant at Haripur in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district will begin in the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-16) period, a top official of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) said Wednesday.
“Except for the geo-technical test, other tests like oceanographic and meteorological tests are going on at Haripur. We think that basic information will be available by March, 2012,” NPCIL imited chairman and managing director S.K. Jain told reporters.
“The project work for setting up two VVERs (Vodo-Vodyanoi Energetichesky Reactor or Water-Water Energetic Reactor) of 1,000 MW each at Haripur will commence within the 12th Five Year Plan period,” he said on the sidelines of a conference on “Frontiers of Science” here.
The 12th Five Year Plan period starts April 1, 2012.
The VVER is a series of pressurised water reactors developed by Russia for nuclear power plants. Haripur will have six VVERs, each of 1,000 MW.
The Haripur nuclear power plant became a bone of contention after a section of local villagers began an agitation against it, alleging their land was being snatched for the project.
Haripur, in the coastal area of Contai in East Midnapur district, about 170 km from Kolkata, has an 80,000 strong population engaged mostly in farming and fishing.
Asked about the local opposition, Jain said: “We are very clear. We will go and meet the local people. As far as our track record is concerned we are very confident that we can take the people into confidence.”
He said that two reactors will be commissioned at the Kudankulam nuclear power plant within three months and two more will be commissioned within the 12th Five Year Plan period.