New Delhi, Mar 17: Government on Monday said the country will have electricity on demand by 2012 and it needs nuclear energy to meet future demand.

Replying to supplementaries in Rajya Sabha during Question Hour, Power Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said 78,577 MW electricity generation capacity will be added during the XIth Five Year Plan (2007-12) Period.

The country had added 54,000 MW generation capacity during the last 15 years (8th, 9th and 10th Plans), he said adding the target for the XIth Plan does not include captive power plants being set up by industries.

"By 2012, on demand electricity will be available," he said.

When Najma Heputallh (BJP) sought to know if the Indo-US Civilian Nuclear cooperation would not be needed if electricity on demand would be available on 2012, Shinde said "the country needs nuclear power (for its future energy needs)."

He said the civilian nuclear cooperation with US was initiated by BJP when it was in power and the UPA concluded this process.

The Government, he said, proposes to introduce a restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (APDRP) in the XIth Five Year Plan to cut transmission and distribution losses.

The APDRP was launched in 2002-03 with the objective of encouraging reforms, reducing aggregate technical and commerical loss and improving quality of supply of power.