Question

What percentage of the energy requirement of India is met by nuclear power stations?
A . 3%
B . 5%
C . 10%
D . 20%

Answer 1

Hint:Nuclear reactors provide 3 percent of the entire electricity generation. Despite its rather meagre contribution, atomic energy holds substantive promise from the attitude of meeting India's humongous energy needs during a secure, sustainable low carbon way. Therefore, the answer is A.
Complete step by step solution:
Nuclear power is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India after coal, gas, hydroelectricity and wind power. As of March 2018, India has 22 nuclear reactors in operation in 7 nuclear power plants, with a total installed capacity of 6,780 MW. Nuclear power produced a total of 35 T Wh and supplied 3.22% of Indian electricity in 2017 7 more reactors are under construction with a combined generation capacity of 4,300 MW.

In October 2010, India drew up a plan to reach a nuclear power capacity of 63 GW in 2032. However, following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster there have been numerous anti-nuclear protests at proposed nuclear power plant sites. There have been mass protests against the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project in Maharashtra and the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, and a proposed large nuclear power plant near Haripur was refused permission by the Government of West Bengal. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has also been filed against the government’s civil nuclear program at the Supreme Court.

Note:
Nuclear power in India has suffered from generally low capacity factors. As of 2017, the lifetime weighted energy availability factor of the Indian fleet is 63.5%.However, capacity factors have been improving in recent years. The availability factor of Indian reactors was 69.4% in the years 2015-2017. One of the main reasons for the low capacity factors is lack of nuclear fuel.