India to Build 12 Nuclear Power Stations

India will add 12 nuclear power stations to its lineup to shore up its power supply situation, the department of atomic energy said Monday.
The “irreplaceable source of clean, pollution-free energy” is expected to be a significant and essential part of India’s energy needs, KN Vyas, DAE secretary said, adding that there is no substitute for nuclear energy as it is particularly reliable, Business Standard reported.
Vyas highlighted its Kaiga Nuclear Power station which, according to him, has had a streak of 962 uninterrupted days of runtime.
As of 2018, six nuclear reactors were being constructed in India to meet the growing needs of the country.  Its nuclear capacity was expected to triple by 2031. India’s Nuclear Power Corporation, tasked with building and operating India’s power plants, had voiced reservations about this ambitious timeline, saying that it would need to lower those expectations.
In 2018, India slashed its nuclear power plant construction plans by two-thirds, an unfortunate reality that was expected to increase its reliance on coal power.
India has long battled pollution problems, with the WHO estimating that at its worst, India can be 70 times dirtier than what the WHO considers safe. Nuclear power could prevent worsening of this pollution problem as its energy needs continue to grow.
“The founder of Indian nuclear program, Homi J Bhabha had envisaged that nuclear technology is going to be very essential and not just in the power sector but for other societal uses intended for betterment of life,” Vyas said.