Banka/Patna:The Bihar government has removed a key obstacle in the development of the state’s first nuclear power plant, with the Water Resources Department approving annual water supply for the project from the Badua reservoir in Banka district.
The department has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Bihar State Power Generation Company, allowing the supply of 80 million cubic metres (MCM) of water each year for the proposed plant.
The project, to be developed by NTPC at Bhitia village in Banka, is planned with two units of 700 MW each, with a total generation capacity of 1,400 MW.
Water clearance for project
Officials said the proposal for use of reservoir water was sent by the chief engineer of Irrigation Creation, Bhagalpur, and was subsequently approved by the department headquarters.
Under the conditions of the NOC, the plant will have to release 22 MCM of non-radioactive flowback water into the Badua reservoir every year during operations.
The department has also stated that any land acquisition required for water supply infrastructure or project-related construction will have to be funded by the executing agency.
If additional water is required beyond the sanctioned 80 MCM, a separate NOC will have to be obtained.
Conditions attached to approval
The Water Resources Department has directed the project authorities to take precautionary measures to prevent accidents during water supply construction works.
It has also mandated the removal of waste material generated during construction.
Engineer-in-chief Brajesh Mohan said the NOC could be cancelled if any of the department’s conditions were violated.
DPR expected within six months
NTPC has already submitted a proposal to the Atomic Energy Corporation for approval of the project.
Officials said the detailed project report (DPR) is expected to be prepared within the next six months.
The state government is aiming to have the foundation stone laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 20, when the NDA government in Bihar completes one year in office.
Ganga water to supplement reservoir supply
Officials said the existing water availability in the Badua reservoir may not be sufficient to support year-round operations.
To address this, the Water Resources Department plans to bring Ganga water to the reservoir through a pipeline network.
An intake point is proposed at Sultanganj, while a control room is planned at Tarapur.
Development and employment potential
The state government expects the project to boost infrastructure and employment in the region.
Officials cited the Narora nuclear power plant in Uttar Pradesh as an example, noting that its establishment led to wider economic and infrastructural development in the surrounding area after operations began in the early 1990s.
