Larsen & Toubro chairman and managing director AM Naik on Monday called upon the government and private sector companies to complete the nuclear power plants within given time schedule, contain interest during construction, overall capital cost and keep tariff competitive.
Naik at the same time called upon the government and private companies to tap opportunities in India and abroad. Naik was speaking at the inaugural function of a three-day conference on ?nuclear technology?role of industry? organised by the Indian Nuclear Society.
Naik said the Indian companies should be ready to take on MNCs and try to be self reliant in the nuclear sector. Naik noted that a new model can be worked out where the state-run Nuclear Power Corporation and other private sector players can come together to implement nuclear projects. He informed that L&T is fully geared up to take up such opportunities.
Naik was quite critical over the issue of tariff of nuclear power projects. He said that the developer will have to make all efforts to keep tariff competitive at Rs 3 to Rs 3.50 per tariff and not Rs 7 to Rs 8 per unit.
Further, Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar also called upon the industry to tap opportunities in and outside India. He also suggested that the Indian industry should become robust and competitive in the fast changing global situation.
The Nuclear Power Corporation chairman and managing director SK Jain said that Nuclear Power Corporation is open to associate with the private sector within the existing legal provisions.
However, he suggested that the private sector participation will become quite easy after the Atomic Energy Act is amended.
Jain also called for the adoption of Civil Nuclear Liability Law. Jain also said that Nuclear Power Corporation, BHEL, L&T and other players instead of competiting with each other can join hands in the proposed nuclear capacity addition and they can instead face competition from foreign players.