Haripur Nuclear Power Plant

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Haripur Nuclear Power Plant is a proposed site in Haripur village, Purba Medinipur district, West Bengal, India. It is planned by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) and would use Rosatom’s VVER-1000 reactors with cooling water from the Bay of Bengal. The project emerged in the wake of the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Deal and initial government approval was given for planning and land acquisition.

The plan has faced strong opposition from political parties, environmentalists, farmers, and activists who warned it could harm local farming and fishing and pose radiation risks. The project was shelved in 2011 after a change of government. In 2009, during a visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Russia, India agreed to a deal with Russia to supply reactors, including six VVER-1000s for Haripur, as part of a package of 20 reactors. The idea resurfaced in 2018 when the Department of Atomic Energy gave preliminary approval and financial sanction to build six 1000 MW reactors at Haripur. As of now, there is no official confirmation from the Central or State Government about the current status.