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The signing of the N-deal bill will herald a new era in Indo-US relations.
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France proposes its top of the line nuclear reactor for India
Pallava Bagla
Monday, December 01, 2008, (Paris)
In the fashion capital of the world, Paris, on Monday it is almost fashionable to be Indian, since there is a huge new renaissance in Indo-French relations. Adding to the closer embrace is a new high value nuclear dialogue that the two countries are currently engaged in.
Very soon, India is likely to make some very big ticket purchases in the nuclear arena, now that all obstacles have been dismantled for India to restart nuclear commerce with the world.
One country likely to benefit from this is France, which has offered to India its top of the line nuclear reactor. Called the European Pressurized Water Reactor (EPR), none like this are operational anywhere in the world, though they are under construction in two places. Each 1600-megawatt reactor that the French state owned company Areva has proposed is likely to costs upwards of Euro 3.5 billion to construct. Confirming the offer, Jean-Jacques Gautrot, special advisor to the Areva CEO Anne Lauvergeon, Areva, Paris said, "we are at the beginning of the commercial process in India."
The EPR is the mother of all nuclear power reactors, since none in the world are so large. It has been designed jointly by Areva in France and Siemens in Germany and as of now only six of these monsters have been ordered in the world, two each to be made in Finland, France and China in the coming years. The Finish reactor being made at Olkiluoto is likely to start generating power next year.
According to Areva, EPR is the 'most efficient and surest thing for India', since this third generation nuclear reactor it has enhanced safety features; saves over 17 per cent in uranium usage as compared to similar older nuclear reactors; and has been designed for over 92 per cent availability. The total cost of construction and operation of an EPR over its entire life time works to be about 5 Euro cents per kilowatt hour, which Areva estimates is the cheapest for any kind of power reactor including solar, wind, coal and gas.
India has suggested that the French set up a big nuclear energy park in western India that can produce upwards of 10,000 MW from a single location, Dr S K Jain Chairman cum Managing Director for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, the Indian state entity with which Areva is negotiating confirmed that the Jaitapur site south off Mumbai has been set aside for the French where land acquisition procedures have already started in earnest. Gautrot acknowledged that Areva was 'happy' with the Indian choice of the location for the proposed EPR.
One important guarantee India seeks from any nuclear vendor is a life-time uninterrupted supply of nuclear fuel and the right to re-process spent fuel. Gautrot said 'Areva will be able to give guarantee for lifetime supply of nuclear fuel to India for the 50-60 year full life of the EPR reactor'. He also acknowledged that India could re-process spent fuel if it desired and with a certain pride emphasized that Areva has the finest re-processing technologies as well, which is a 'great advantage' when compared with other nuclear vendors from USA and Russia. But, Gautrot was hesitant to acknowledge whether France was ready to transfer reprocessing technology to India for the dedicated new facility that India has to put in place soon. Gautrot said 'discussions have not opened on whether reprocessing technology will be supplied or not'.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV Dr Jain also emphasized that India's goal is to produce locally as much as 80 per cent of the nuclear reactor by the time last pair of EPR have to be constructed. Jain feels this is the only way the local industry can benefit when costly high technologies have to be imported. But a very cautious Gautrot said 'On transfer of EPR technology talks have not opened'.
India really seemed in a great hurry when earlier this year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a whistle stop tour to France on his way back from America to hurriedly ink the Indo-French Nuclear Agreement, which incidentally has not been made public since certain mandatory parliamentary steps need to fulfilled in France. On being asked what was the reason for the delay if any in signing the nuclear contracts Gautrot said 'Areva has till date held only general talks with India and ideal conditions still need to be established for taking this nuclear contract further' who emphasized that `Soonest is the best to sign nuclear contract with India'.
(Pallava Bagla is visiting France at the invitation of the French government)
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