Chandrababu Naidu to acquire more land from farmers for nuclear power plants

Created: Jul 21, 2016, 14:22 IST | Updated: Jul 21, 2016, 17:41 IST

Vijayawada: With several nuclear power projects likely to relocate to Andhra Pradesh, the State Government is pulling its socks up to find suitable land for them. Naidu is already facing troubles in acquiring land for irrigation projects.

Several nuclear power projects proposed in Gujarat, West Bengal and other other states are being relocated to AP owing to resistance and protests against nuclear power plants.

NPCIL and Westinghouse jointly revealed their plans on Andhra Pradesh during the Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Washington in June 2016. Westinghouse will complete the commercial agreement for six reactors by June 2017.

During his recent visit to Russia, Naidu had discussions with President Vladimir Putin on nuclear power projects. Naidu also met Russian PM Dimitry Medvedev. Russian-owned Rosatom will build its next phase of six reactors in Andhra Pradesh as well. It’s estimated that AP is likely to get six nuclear power plants from Russia.

The government officials say that Kavali in Nellore district is likely to be the site for nuclear power plants. It may be announced during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India scheduled in October 2016. Several states such as Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Maharashtra are facing local protests over nuclear power projects.

The American firm Toshiba- Westinghouse had planned to set up 6 AP1000 reactors of 1,100 megawatts each in Gujarat. But due to stiff protests from farmers against the land acquisition process for 777 hectares, the US company has changed its decision. Now, this nuclear project is also coming to AP.

Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP government is inviting companies with nuclear power projects to set up in the state, which is in dire need of business investments and some industrial activity. Recently, US company Westinghouse had announced its Nuclear Power Project (NPP) in Gujarat’s Mithi Virdi. But the US company changed its decision in favor of AP for setting up its NPP.

The American firm Toshiba- Westinghouse had planned to set up 6 AP1000 reactors of 1,100 megawatts each in Gujarat. But due to stiff protests from farmers against the land acquisition process for 777 hectares, the US company has changed its decision. Now, this nuclear project is also coming to AP.