Odisha is assessing nuclear power proposals from two companies, including NTPC, with public safety and environmental protection set to guide any final decision
OdishaPlus Bureau
The Odisha government is examining proposals from two companies, including the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), to set up nuclear power plants in the State, but has not yet taken a decision on whether to proceed with the projects.
Additional Chief Secretary (Energy) Vishal Kumar Dev said on Tuesday that studies and assessments were still underway and that a decision would be taken after the examination of the proposals.
“We have received proposals from two companies, including NTPC, with regard to setting up nuclear power plants in the State. These are under examination, and studies are still underway. A government decision on whether to go ahead will be taken in due course,” Dev said.
He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of an event at Lok Bhavan, formerly Raj Bhawan, where the campus received an Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) certification.
Dev stressed that public and environmental safety would be the government’s foremost consideration in any decision on nuclear power.
“The government is very clear that the safety of the environment and the people comes first,” he said, adding that any further move towards nuclear energy would be based on the principle that there would be no compromise on the safety of people and the environment.
The remarks come amid growing interest in nuclear energy as India seeks to expand its clean-energy capacity and reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. However, the Odisha government has yet to identify a location or commit to either of the proposed projects.
Asked whether university campuses across Odisha could be encouraged to obtain IGBC certification, Dev said students from Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri had been invited to the Lok Bhavan programme to encourage them to promote the concept of green campuses.
The government’s approach, he indicated, would therefore extend beyond individual government buildings, with educational institutions also being encouraged to adopt environmentally sustainable practices.