Interview-U.S. nuclear deal won't power India's boom - Reuters

[Eugene]

INTERVIEW-U.S. nuclear deal won't power India's boom
13 Mar 2007 13:33:15 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Alistair Scrutton and Nidhi Verma

NEW DELHI, March 13 (Reuters) - Nuclear energy will remain a small part of India's
power supply for the next 25 years even if the country seals a civil nuclear deal
with the United States, a member of India's top policy making body said on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, India's dependency on coal, which accounts for nearly 41 percent of its
energy needs and has become a focus of global worries about global warming, will
remain unchanged due to the booming economy's expanding demand for power.

Nuclear power is expected to go up from the current 2-3 percent of India's energy
supply to 6-7 percent by 2031 in the most optimistic scenario with the U.S. deal
and consequently boost private investment in the sector, Kirit Parikh, a member
of the Indian government's planning commission, told Reuters.

"Even if we go full steam in nuclear energy, wind and hydro (electric power) still
you will find coal remains and will remain a significant part of energy mix. Coal
would be supplying 41 percent of India's energy needs," Parikh said.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/DEL289114.htm

Also: India's Coal Demand May Quadruple By 2031- Economic Times

[bananas]

1. "6-7 percent by 2031 in the most optimistic scenario"

and much less in any realistic scenario.