Date:09/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/09/stories/2007060902130700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Time needed for Indo-U.S. nuclear talks: Kakodkar

Special Correspondent

"India will not sign any deal that will impact its nuclear programme"

HYDERABAD: Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar said on Friday that India would not sign with the United States any deal that would have a "negative impact" on its nuclear programme.

Talking to reporters here, he declined to be drawn into the specifics of the negotiations on the nuclear deal, saying, "These are complex issues; they will take time. Let us see." Asked what the hitch in thetalks was, he said there was a gap between the Indian and U.S. positions. "The question is how the gap can be bridged. We have to allow the discussions to carry forward, and see what happens."

To a question on the cost of nuclear power, he said the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited had demonstrated that 220 MWe power stations could be built at competitive costs. The tariff of the power produced by such units would be comparable to that produced by a thermal plant. In the future, the NPCIL would be setting up 700 MWe plants, since it was cheaper in terms of the per mega watt unit cost.