Speaking on the sidelines of 60th Foundation Day programme of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics (SINP), DAE secretary and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) chairman Srikumar Banerjee said the baseline study would get under way at Haripur once the ongoing environment impact assessment (EIA) is completed later this year. The baseline study is done around a 10-30-km radius of the proposed site to track human development index the economics of the area and the living standard before activity begins on the ground.

"We are going ahead with the process that began with the site selection committee evaluating various sites along the coastline and will lead to acquisition of land and finally construction of a nuclear power plant of 6,000-10,000-MW capacity. Once the EIA is over, the baseline study will begin followed by the process of land acquisition," Banerjee said.

Of the five sites finalized across the country, construction has started at Kudamkulam in Tamil Nadu. The process of land acquisition is under way at Jaitapur in Maharashtra, with Mithi Virdi in Gujarat, Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh and Haripur next in line.

"The baseline studies have started at Mithi Virdi and Kovvada. So, in a sense they are ahead of Haripur. But these are independent processes and not based on prioritizing. It so happened that the deal for rectors in Kudamkulam was signed with Russians early," Banerjee explained. Negotiations are at an advanced stage for French reactors in Jaitapur.

Source: Times Of India Haripur N-project on track