Mumbai:In a bid to enhance Maharashtra’s energy infrastructure, the Maharashtra Government on Tuesday signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) totaling ₹6.5 lakh crore with four major firms to develop 25,400 MW of nuclear energy along the Konkan coastline.
This initiative makes Maharashtra the first state to directly partner with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) in atomic power generation.
The government signed the agreements with prominent firms like NTPC Limited, Adani Power Limited, Reliance Industries Limited and Lalitpur Power Generation Company Limited at a meeting held at Mantralaya.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the investments would support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India an energy-rich nation and achieving zero carbon emissions.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a goal of making India an energy-rich nation and achieving zero carbon emissions. Maharashtra is making every possible effort to fulfil this objective. Investments coming into the state’s clean energy sector will certainly strengthen the country’s journey towards becoming an energy-rich nation,” Fadnavis said.
According to the CM, nuclear energy was a key component of clean energy generation and Maharashtra had significant opportunities in the sector.
“This investment will not only boost power generation in the state but also create substantial employment opportunities. Maharashtra will continue to remain at the forefront of clean energy generation in the country,” the CM added.
State officials said Adani Power Limited, along with its subsidiary Coastal-Maha Atomic Energy Limited, signed an MoU to set up a 6,000 MW nuclear power plant at Barsu in Ratnagiri district. The estimated investment for this project is Rs. 1.5 lakh crore, and it is expected to provide around 12,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Reliance Industries Ltd. signed an agreement to develop Bharat Small Reactors, Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and other nuclear power reactors at Purnagadh in Ratnagiri district. The project’s capacity will range from 2×220 MW to 6×1200 MW, with investments estimated between Rs. 8,000 crore and Rs. 2 lakh crore. This project is expected to generate over 1.03 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities.
NTPC Ltd. also signed an MoU for a nuclear power plant at Devgad in Sindhudurg district, with a projected capacity between 4,000 MW and 7,200 MW and an estimated investment of Rs. 1 lakh crore.
Lalitpur Power Generation Company Limited, part of the Bajaj Group, will invest Rs 2 lakh crore to build 5,000 MW of capacity and generate about 3,000 jobs.
However, according to political observers, the fate of these projects looks uncertain due to local people’s fierce opposition to environmentally harmful projects. The Jaitapur nuclear power plant in Ratnagiri was stalled a few years back due to the protests from locals and environmentalists. People in Barsu earlier had also opposed the oil refinery project.
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