India and nuclear power

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) notes in its 2006 review of Indian mining that the existing electricity generating system capacity was 116 gigawatts (GW) and it "needed to acquire an additional generating capacity of 65GW to sustain its economic growth in the next 5 to 10 years". The USGS estimates that 30GW of the additional 65GW could be from coal-fired power stations, with gas contributing 14GW and a further 21GW from new nuclear power stations.

The USGS stated that India's "current nuclear power accounted for only 3 GW with small 200-megawatt (MW) reactors and a 540-MW unit. Plans were for 1-GW units to come onstream in 2008, namely the Kudankulam 1 and 2 in the State of Tamil nadu and the Tarapur 3 and 4 in the State of Maharashtra. With the assistance of the United States, which offered to share civilian nuclear technology with India, the nuclear capacity could increase by 10 GW (Petroleum Economist, 2006a)."

Related SourceWatch articles

 * India and coal
 * U.S.- India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative