Jamshedpur, Sept. 9: The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) will conduct a feasibility study for the setting-up of a proposed 1000 MW nuclear power plant in East Singhbhum within six months.

Top officials of NPCIL, including its chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) A. Jain, today made a presentation before chief minister Arjun Munda in Ranchi and agreed to conduct a feasibility study of the three probable sites for the power plant in Ghatshila subdivision of East Singhbhum district.

Chief secretary Laxmi Singh, CMD of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) Ramendra Gupta, secretaries of all government departments and deputy commissioner of East Singhbhum Sunil Kumar Burnwal were present on the occasion.

Burnwal, who is also the nodal officer for the project, had sent a report to NPCIL on three probable sites in Ghatshila. The report identified three places between Mosabani-Jadugora and Dhalbhumgarh for the project that would require about 2,500 acres of land and continuous supply of water.

Burnwal said NPCIL has agreed to complete the feasibility study within six-months. The five-member NPCIL team today made a detailed presentation on locating the nuclear plant, its prospects and economics in Jharkhand,? he said.

All the sites suggested for the project has the Subarnarekha nearby as the source of water with continuous supply from the Chandil and Iccha dams of the Subarnarekha Multi-purpose Project.

Sources said the sites selected fulfil the criteria of land requirement, water availability, habitation and distance from thermal power plants.

The process, sources revealed, was expedited following a meeting convened by the chief minister during which the UCIL CMD too was requested to take up the matter with the Atomic Energy Commission authorities in right earnest. eom