The Hindu Business Line : Tatas interested in nuclear power — We are for coal-based power projects: Ratan Tata

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Tatas interested in nuclear power — We are for coal-based power projects: Ratan Tata

N. Ramakrishnan

The Tata group was active in a small way in renewable energy; it was looking to have a pilot plant for bio-fuels.

Chennai , Feb. 23

The Tata Group will be interested in getting into nuclear power as and when the Government permits the domestic private sector into this field, according to Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons.

At the same time, Mr Tata believes that the country's power strategy should be coal-based, adopting new coal technologies to control air pollution.

In an informal interaction with The Hindu and Business Line here on Thursday, Mr Tata said, "if the nuclear alignment does happen, and if the government does permit the domestic private sector to participate in civilian nuclear power, then we will be interested."

He said the country was short of power, was dependent on fossil fuels and was susceptible to high air pollution from power stations. If the country had a major nuclear power programme, it would be a welcome thing to the country's power strategy. Like France, India could have sustainable nuclear programme, which was clean and safe.

Coal-based strategy

There was adequate coal in India and he had recommended to the government that the country's power strategy should be coal-based. However, the coal had to be adequately treated and new clean coal technologies used to reduce pollution.

"It would make a lot of sense to have coal-based power projects, either pit-head or along the coast," he said and added that pit-head projects could be for domestic coal and coastal power stations for imported coal.

The Tata group was active in a small way in renewable energy. It was looking to have a pilot plant for bio-fuels. The group was looking to grow bio-fuel plants in Babrala, to look at calibrating the cost and yields for bio-diesel. This kind of bio-fuels would be ideal for the rural community, he said.

He said a new method of making ethanol, using cellulose material, was on the horizon. This could also benefit the rural community. The Tata group would look into the possibility of this also.

Improve telecom biz

To a question, Mr Tata, who was here to participate in a function to unveil the re-designed Business Line, said the group's telecom business had a long way to go, but the group was committed to improving services. "We have to improve the quality of services," he said and added that the telecom business had an all-India network. "I think you will see our telecom services rising to the expectations of the customers," he said.

Asked about the economy and whether an 8 per cent growth was sustainable, Mr Tata believed it was sustainable.

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