Minister of State for Atomic Energy Jitendra Singh has said that nuclear energy can help meet the rising energy demands of the country and that there was a need to bust myths associated with it by creating awareness among the people. At the inauguration of the 11th Nuclear Energy Conclave on Friday, Singh said that the Government has taken initiatives to promote the scientific growth of the country. He said, “The atomic power plants were earlier restricted to southern India but now the government is setting up the nuclear plants in other parts of the country and a nuclear plant is coming up in Gorakhpur in Haryana.”

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'Progress has been made in atomic energy and space'

According to a Department of Atomic Energy release, Singh said the country has made a lot of progress in atomic energy and space in the last five years. "To educate the students and general public about the applications of nuclear energy, a 'Hall of Nuclear Energy' was opened in Pragati Maidan in Delhi and a similar hall is being planned for the Department of Space," he added. The Union Minister spoke about the use of nuclear energy in the field of medicine, especially cancer care.  

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'India has gained vast experience in construction and commissioning of reactors'

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) chairman KN Vyas said that nuclear energy is a clear option to fight global warming. He said that India has gained vast experience in construction and commissioning of reactors and is going forward with the 'fleet mode of construction' which requires less cost and time of construction.

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“To increase standardisation and bring modularity into the construction of new plants, we are going in for fleet mode for construction, thereby reducing construction costs and speeding up construction times. Seventeen new reactors are now in the pipeline, with seven already under construction,” Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy and Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, K N Vyas said at the India Energy Forum 11th Nuclear Energy Conclave.

“A revised target of 20 GW has been set until the end of next decade, which I think is highly attainable. In my opinion, the financial outlay is expected to be staggering enough to encourage most industrialists,” Vyas added. 

(With ANI inputs)

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