Patna: The state govt on Thursday set a one-year deadline for completing all preliminary clearances for proposed nuclear power projects in Bihar, even as it dropped the Rajauli site in Nawada after NTPC flagged its proximity to an active fault line. The remaining three sites — Bhitiya and Shambhuganj in Banka district, and Darauli in Siwan district — are moving ahead. Among them, the NTPC-backed Bhitiya site has emerged as the frontrunner.The directive was issued by chief secretary Pratyaya Amrit during a high-level review meeting on Thursday to assess the technical feasibility, land requirements and water availability for four potential sites.The proposed site at Rajauli in Nawada district was dropped after state-run power major NTPC flagged critical technical concerns. Officials said the site is unsuitable for a nuclear power plant under Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) norms because of its proximity to an active fault line.The Bhitiya site in Banka district has emerged as the frontrunner. The water resources department has already issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) for withdrawal of 80 million cubic metres (MCM) of water annually from the Badua reservoir, while the forest department has also granted clearance for Bhitiya project. The chief secretary directed the Banka district administration to resolve local issues at the earliest to keep the project on schedule.Meanwhile, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) will conduct preliminary assessments at Shambhuganj in Banka and Darauli in Siwan. The chief secretary directed immediate issuance of conditional water NOCs for both sites to facilitate geotechnical investigations and borehole drilling. Each proposed nuclear plant will require around 1,000 acres of land.Water management remains a key component of the project. A 2×700 MWe plant would require 80 MCM of water annually for cooling. Of this, 58 MCM would be consumed during the process, while the remaining 22 MCM would be recycled and discharged as radiation-free water for use in local irrigation.According to an official release, the state govt aims to complete land assurances, water allocations and drilling permissions within the next year to secure in-principle approval from the Centre.
