The Hindu : Atomic plant: Govt. exploring possibility

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 02, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Atomic plant: Govt. exploring possibility

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA May 1. The Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, said here today that the Government was exploring the possibility and feasibility of setting up an atomic power plant in the State in view of the ongoing power crisis.

However, a final decision would be taken only after open debates and thread-bare discussions on various aspects connected to it, he added.

Mr. Antony was addressing a public meeting at Angamoozhi in connection with the inauguration of the work on the upgradation of the Sabarigiri hydro-electric project.

According to the Chief Minister, the State should go for more hydel power generation to minimise the use of costly thermal power. He said that setting up more hydel power projects had become a difficult task in modern times due to various environmental constraints, forcing the Government to opt for costly thermal power. He stressed the need to set up more small, mini and macro hydro-electric projects in the State to increase the hydel power generation. He said the Government would promote private participation in the small and mini hydel power generation on the basis of certain guidelines prescribed for the same.

The hydel power generation had been badly affected in the past two years due to weak monsoon and shortage of rain in the catchment areas of the KSEB reservoirs. However, the Government was committed to supplying electricity to the common people at a moderate rate, he added.

The Electricity Minister, Kadavoor Sivadasan, who presided over the meeting, said the work on the Sabarigiri upgradation project would be completed in a time-bound manner in the next three years.

The power Secretary, Lizy Jacob, the KSEB Chairman, T.M. Manoharan, the member, V.A. Cherian, the district panchayat president, Mathew Kulathumkal, and the District Collector, P.S. Enosalso, spoke.

Earlier, Mr. Antony inaugurated the work on the Rs. 94.64-crore upgradation project of the Sabarigiri hydro-electric project by unveiling a granite plaque on the power station premises at Moozhiyar.

He also visited the power house and inspected the equipment damaged in the fire on March 7. The Electricity Minster, KSEB Chairman and the DCC president, K. Sivadasan Nair, were among those who accompanied him to the power house.

Two executives of the Austrian company, VA Tech Hydro Ltd., which has undertaken the upgradation work, K. Duglus and Mathew Aslok, were also present.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

`Uncertainty on VAT will hit States'

Five more fast track courts to be set up this month

Another strike seems inevitable: NGO Union

Atomic plant: Govt. exploring possibility

Proposal for 65-day ban on fishing flayed

`Irregularities' in teak felling

Hard times for virology institute

Kodoth, the scapegoat of Cong. feud