Asserting that nuclear power will play a major role in meeting the energy needs of the country during the 12th Five-Year Plan, the Planning Commission on Thursday said the country needed an additional 1,00,000 MW of power during the 12th Plan period (2012-17) and therefore capacity expansion should be undertaken keeping the safety measures intact.
Making a presentation to the Prime Minister at the full-fledged meeting of the Commission, Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said: “There is a need to create a minimum of 1,00,000 MW new power capacity during the 12th Plan period. Nuclear power must be expanded with further safety measures.”
The Commission also said the pricing of diesel and petrol should be regularly revisited and LPG and kerosene subsidy should be targeted only towards BPL (below poverty line) category.
“Coal production will be a very major constraint, partly due to weakness of Coal India Limited and partly environment and forest clearances.
“We must plan for coal imports of at least 250 million tonnes by 2017-18 which will require corresponding expansion of rail and port capacities,'' the Plan panel said. It said there was a need to quickly expand wind power with the use of off-shore wind potential and technological innovations. It said the ‘Solar Mission' should gradually lead to reduction in power cost per unit though it would still be above traditional fuels, it added.
