24 July 2024
The Economic Times
Op-eds
FOOT IN THE DOOR Govt set to join
hands with private players for small reactors, and for research and development
in the sector
In a radical move, the budget has
proposed a partnership between the government and the private sector to set up
Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) for nuclear power and for research and development
in small modular reactors with an aim to build indigenous technologies in the
segment.
So far, the private sector has been kept away from the sensitive segment.
The government and private sector companies will also conduct research and
development of newer technologies for nuclear energy.
Nuclear energy is expected to form a
very significant part of the energy mix for Viksit Bharat, finance minister
Nirmala Sitharaman said.
“With nuclear energy poised to be a
cornerstone, of our energy mix, and innovative nuclear technologies being
developed in partnership with the private sector, the future looks promising,”
Sumant Sinha, founder of ReNew said.
The power ministry had earlier said
that it supports the entry of the private sector in nuclear energy with
safeguards amid surging electricity demand.
The government’s Economic Survey for
FY24 suggested exploring nuclear energy, biofuels, green hydrogen, backup
generation, storage, among others, in the wake of intermittency risks
associated with renewable power and grid integration.
The budget has also proposed a joint
venture between government-owned NTPC Ltd and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd to
set up an 800-MW advanced ultra super critical (AUSC) technology-based power
plant, promoting indigenous technology with higher efficiency with fiscal
support.
Offsetting the incremental cost of
advanced metallurgy required for AUSC plants through budgetary support will
help bridge the cost difference with traditional super-critical or advanced
super-critical plants, Anujesh Dwivedi, Partner, . Deloitte India said.
The development of power plants,
including a 2,400 MW project at Pirpainti, in Bihar will be taken up at a cost
of Rs 21,400 crore.
ENERGY TRANSITION
The budget also said it will bring out
a policy document on appropriate energy transition pathways that balances the
imperatives of employment, growth and environmental sustainability.
It proposed to expand the list of
exempted capital goods for use in the manufacture of solar cells and panels and
to reimpose customs duty on solar glass and tinned copper interconnect.
The duty exemption on capital
equipment for solar manufacturing and the withdrawal of duty exemption on solar
glass will provide support for more investments in the domestic supply chain
and manufacturing job creation in India, Sujoy Ghosh, country managing director
of First Solar said.
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