This Article is From Aug 15, 2013

First glimpse of the American nuclear reactors India seeks to buy

First glimpse of the American nuclear reactors India seeks to buy
Georgia, USA: Hectic negotiations are going on between India and USA to clinch the first commercial deal on nuclear reactors. India seeks to buy the ultramodern Westinghouse manufactured AP 1000 nuclear reactors and install them at Mithi Vridi in Gujarat in a deal that would cost India about Rs 3,00,000 crore for six of this reactors.

NDTV travelled to the site where the first of these new generation reactors is being constructed.

Feverish construction activity marks the Vogtle nuclear site close to Atlanta in Georgia- the place where the American nuclear industry is having its 'rebirth'. The first new nuclear plant is being made in America after a hiatus of more than three decades. NDTV was given special access to visit the construction site which is usually off limits for cameras. The Westinghouse Electric Company is constructing two of its latest 1100 MW nuclear reactors here at a total cost of $ 14 billion. The technology is untested, leading to the speculation whether the reactors are safe.

Victor McMcree, Administrator at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Atlanta says, "The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a design certification to Westinghouse for the AP 1000 design, we have issued combined operating licences to two utilities in the United States. We would not have made those decisions if we were not convinced that the reactor design is safe and that they could be constructed safely."

India seeks to buy six of these very same reactors. The AP 1000 nuclear reactors have many special features, they are modular in design, can be passively cooled without the use of electricity in case of an accident, have almost half the number of valves and pipes as compared to conventional atomic reactors, so chances of failures are reduced.  

Mark D. Rauckhorst, Vice-president (construction) Vogtle Nuclear Plant, Georgia, USA  says, "This is a passive design that allows the first 72 hours of accident where no operator action is required in order to maintain a safe condition in the plant."  

The technology may be good but the going is not so smooth. Americans have concerns with India's people-friendly nuclear liability regime, and are urging India to tweak it so that it becomes industry-friendly. Even as workers labour here in America, hectic diplomatic negotiations are on to find a creative suitable solution in the wording of the contract.

It is almost five years since the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal was inked. When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meets President Barrack Obama at the White House next month, there is hope that a small contract will be signed, the first real fruits of the nuclear deal.

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