Haryana’s first N-power plant to come up at Fatehabad village

Chandigarh: Nuclear Power Corp of India Ltd (NPCIL) has selected Gorakhpur village (around 175 km from Delhi) in Fatehabad district of Haryana to set up the state’s first 4X700 mw nuclear power plant.

The decision was taken after the high-level land selection committee, comprising engineers of NPCIL, visited three villages—Gorakhpur, Kajalheri and Kumharia last week. The site has been approved keeping in mind factors like availability of land and water, and also its distance from populated places. Terming the project as completely safe, NPCIL officials assure the nuclear radiations won’t be harmful at all. “The radio activity is within the safe limit and as per estimates, radiation from three years of exposure in nuclear area is less than one single exposure of x-ray,” said an official.

The Centre had accorded in-principle approval in October 2009 for setting up of the plant in two phases under the ongoing 11th Plan period. The plant will be based on indigenous technology and in the first phase, two units of 700 mw will be developed. “The nuclear power plant will be completely safe and will usher in an era of prosperity in this area by providing employment and uninterrupted power supply to the people. With the setting up of this plant, infrastructure facilities in this area will also develop,” a power department official told FE.

The land selection committee included NPCIL chief engineer TR Arora, additional chief engineer NRK Murti, co-director JK Sharma, additional chief engineer (business development) Arun Samota and co-director K Jagan Nath etc. The team inspected the site and received information regarding land records from the officers of the revenue department. The team also inspected the canal which would supply water to the plant.

The plant will be set up over 1,000 acres and will consume about 50 tonne of uranium annually, with about 700 officials/officers working in this plant. “The project is likely to entail an investment of around Rs 12,000-14,000 crore over a period of time. It will be a green project with zero emission, thus having no health hazard even from radiation. The state government has assured supply of 320 cusec of water for the project,” said the official. The land will be acquired by the state government around the villages of Kajalheri, Gorakhpur and Kumharia in Fatehabad. Adequate compensation and annuity will be provided to the landowners.