India could provide Russia a third site for the construction of new nuclear power plants, Russia's nuclear chief said Friday.

"There is Haripur, there is Kudankulam, and there will be another," said Sergei Kiriyenko, head of Russia's state-controlled nuclear power corporation Rosatom.

He did not indicate where the new site could be located.

He said a total of 12 nuclear power units are to be built at the first two sites.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said that under the new array of agreements just signed, up to 16 reactors would be built on "three construction sites."

SK Jain, chairman and managing director of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), said Wednesday India had "an overall plan up until 2050" and in this context Russian participation was seen as "important."

He added that the cost of the reactors was $1,600 per kilowatt.

Russian company Atomstroyexport has been building two reactors for the plant since 2002 under a 1988 Indian-USSR deal.

NEW DELHI, March 12 (RIA Novosti)