The Kaiga nuclear power plant has become operational and will generating 220 MW of electricity, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.

At present, nuclear power accounts for mere three per cent of the total electricity generated in the country, Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde added.

He said efforts were on to increase the capacity and negotiations for agreement with the US were going on.

On power shortage in the country, he said theft was one of the major causes for it as it accounts for 48 per cent losses. He said the power situation will improve if the theft is curbed and sought support of all in this regard.

Shinde said the government had chalked out a number of short-term and long-term measures to help meet the electricity demand of the country. The long-term measures include creation of a national grid for optimum utilisation of generation capacity through inter-regional transfer of power, the launching of 50,000 MW initiative for coordinated development of hydro sector and the identification of sites for thermal capacity over 1,00,000 MW.

Implementation of ultra mega power projects of 4000 MW each and procurement of hydro-electricity from Bhutan are also among the measures, he said.