India's cabinet has approved four new sites for nuclear power plants in a bid to meet the nation's burgeoning energy needs,
Officials in New Delhi Thursday said the four sites are located in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. Two of the plants will be pressurized heavy water reactors and the other two light water reactors. India currently has 14 nuclear reactors and another nine are in various stages of construction.
The announcement comes three weeks after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Bush announced a groundbreaking pact to cooperate on civilian nuclear energy. During the Washington meeting, Mr. Bush asked the U.S. Congress to lift sanctions preventing New Delhi from gaining access to civilian nuclear technology.