The first real tangible outcome of the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal happened on Tuesday. The first indigenous nuclear reactor to be powered with imported fuel came online on Tuesday.
NDTV's science editor Pallava Bagla traveled to Rajasthan to get you the atoms to electricity story.
The reactor in Rajasthan was lying idle for the last two years as there was an acute shortage of uranium. After the nuclear deal was inked, imported French uranium has been used to start it all over again.
"RAPS 1 has been shut for longer time and RAPS 2 was shut down in July 2007 and it started as soon as we get imported fuel. RAPS 2 is under IAEA safeguards and we can use imported fuel," said Ramesh Kumar Agarwal, superintendent, Rajasthan Atomic Power Station.
This is only the first step. India plans to import many more nuclear rectors from France, Russia and USA. The short-term aim is to produce 16,000 MW in the next 10 years.
With the world having changed its rules, India's nuclear isolation is over according to the Department of Atomic Energy and nuclear energy in India is an inevitable option. From three per cent today it is likely to grow to 26 per cent by 2050.
