Global nuclear energy majors Areva SA (ARVCY), GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and Westinghouse Electric Co. are continuing talks with Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd. to supply nuclear reactors, indicating the South Asian country plans to follow through with its projects in the aftermath of Japan's nuclear crisis.
Global nuclear energy majors Areva SA (ARVCY), GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
and Westinghouse Electric Co. are continuing talks with Nuclear Power Corp. of
India Ltd. to supply nuclear reactors, indicating the South Asian country plans
to follow through with its projects in the aftermath of
Japan
's
nuclear crisis.
But there may be some potential delays due to safety reviews by
India
's
nuclear watchdog, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, say some executives.
India
's
government has ordered a safety review of its 20 nuclear power plants, just as
those of several other countries, and said it intends to stick to its civilian
nuclear program. Neighbor
China
, on
the other hand, has suspended approvals to build new nuclear projects.
"
India
has a
significant need for electricity and the only practical way to meet that need
is with nuclear energy," Gary Urquhart, vice president for
India
,
Southeast
Asia
and
Taiwan
at
Westinghouse Electric told Dow Jones Newswires.
"Therefore, we are continuing our discussions with our customers and
suppliers as the details of the U.S.-India 123 agreement continue to be
solidified," Urquhart added.
Foreign companies now have access India's multi-billion dollar nuclear energy
market thanks to the South Asian country's 2008 civilian nuclear deal with the
U.S. and the waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers' Group.
The waiver makes
India
the
only official military nuclear power allowed to freely pursue civilian nuclear
commerce without having to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Japan
was
hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami on March 11 that damaged four nuclear
reactors north of
Tokyo
,
prompting fears and fresh debates about the safety of civilian nuclear
technology. Doubts also arose on
India
's
plan to have 63,000 MW of nuclear power capacity by 2032.
"Nothing has changed. GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy is committed to continuing
project discussions with NPCIL under its timeline," said Michael Tetuan,
spokesman for GE Hitachi.
But in recent months there have been anti-nuclear and environmental protests at
the coastal Jaitapur project of NPCIL,
India
's
state-run monopoly builder and operator of nuclear power plants.
Areva plans to set up the first two of six 1,650 MW reactors at Jaitapur in
western
India
. The
French industrial major has agreements with NPCIL for the sale of nuclear
reactors, fuel and services worth as much as 7 billion euros (about $10
billion) at Jaitapur.
"Areva is bound to work closely with NPCIL in the framework of their
review processes and according to their schedule. Work has already started
under the control of the safety authority, AERB," Areva's spokeswoman
Pauline Briand said in an emailed statement.
Only when
India
's
Atomic Energy Regulatory Board finalizes its safety review will it be known if
the schedule of ongoing projects will be impacted and in what way, Briand said,
citing an internal report.
"In the meantime, the hypothesis of a potential delay cannot be totally
excluded," Briand added.
NPCIL also has a roadmap for the construction of Russian reactors by
Atomstroyexport JSC, a unit of Russian state-run company Rosatom. Rosatom
couldn't be immediately reached for queries.
NPCIL's 20 reactors have an overall capacity of 4,780 MW, less than 3% of
India
's
total installed capacity. It plans to take total nuclear power capacity to at
least 20,000 MW in the next 10 years.
Διαβάστε ακόμα
Τρι, 24 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 19:58
Τρι, 24 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 19:54
Τετ, 18 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 18:32
Τετ, 18 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 18:27
Τρι, 17 Σεπτεμβρίου 2024 - 20:01