This capacity addition is possible due to the commissioning of the Kaiga (220 mw) and RAPP-4 (220 mw) during the current fiscal. The design and technology for setting up of the 500 mw pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) nuclear power plants have been developed based on indigenous efforts.The construction work on the first 2x500 mw PHWR nuclear power project is in progress at Tarapur, Maharashtra.

NPCI will commence construction of a 2x220 mw project at Kaiga units III and IV while the preparations are on to set up 2x1000 mw capacity project in cooperation with the Russian Federation at Kundakulam (Tamil Nadu) are on. Prasad said that NPCI will concentrate on improvement of plant load factor (PLF) of nuclear power stations in operation. So far these power stations have achieved a PLF of 80 per cent in 1999-00. Simultaneously, plant life extension programme is also being pursued at Tarapur Atomic Power Station- one and two.

National Thermal Power Corporation director Keshav Saran stressed the need for efficiency improvement, environment protection and renovation and modernisation for thermal power generation plants. According to him, an average increase of 1.5 per cent in the efficiency would result in 4.5 per cent annual reduction in carbondioxide (about 15 million tonnes per year) while it will save coal of 12 million tonnes per year(valued at Rs 84 crore).Saran said that major renovation and maintenance works will have to carry out at various thermal power plants with a total capacity of 12,000 mw.