Nuclear Power in India

nitesh

Mob Control Manager
Senior Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
7,550
Likes
1,307
Indo-US nuclear deal plays out in slow motion

Negotiations for a reprocessing agreement is yet to start, because Washington, Indian officials said, was yet to set a date. India is insistent that a reprocessing deal is absolutely necessary for the nuclear deal to be meaningful. The deal said negotiations would start within six months of the signing of the agreement, but the US is yet to do so. The newly nominated US undersecretary of state for arms control, Ellen Tauscher, told the US Senate at her confirmation hearing that negotiations would start before August 2. In her hearing, she even promised that the entire process of implementing the deal would be completed a year from that date. Given the present pace, there is some scepticism here, and it's not clear whether US tardiness is just bureaucratic or deliberate.

Indian public and private entities seeking to reap early harvests from the deal have complained that around a score of licenses for nuclear and conventional dual use technologies and equipment are hanging fire with the US administration. The nuclear deal transferred dual-use licensing from presumptions of denial to presumptions of approval — but from all accounts, the Obama administration is yet to approve. Sources here said it would help if a political statement of intent from the top levels of the US government were sent down the system.

Sanctions and bans remain on Indian entities by the US despite the deal, these haven't yet been lifted.
 

Yusuf

GUARDIAN
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
24,324
Likes
11,757
Country flag
The US stance these days is very ambigous. All their slow motion will do is play into the hands of the French and Russians and leave the American companies behind.
US has acknowledged India as a nuke power (tacitly) now it has to get on with the business.
 

Known_Unknown

Devil's Advocate
Senior Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2009
Messages
2,626
Likes
1,670
They can't do it because India does not have a nuclear liability limitation law. That doesn't deter the Russians and French because their companies are state owned, and hence protected by sovereign immunity.
 

Yusuf

GUARDIAN
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
24,324
Likes
11,757
Country flag
Well the problem is that they keep living in illusions with their complex laws while others move on.
 
J

John

Guest
eitherways the first companies to arrive will be French Ariva and they will bring the 1650 MW reactor, Westinghouse will also come in later with its 1154 MW reactor and GE will come in with its 1350 mw reactors, now over 10,000MW of reactor needs will given to the GE and Westinghouse initially. L&T signed a MOU with GE. I think every state in our country must get a power plant, depending on the state size, we should pick the size of the reactor and company associated.

http://www.ge-energy.com/prod_serv/products/nuclear_energy/en/downloads/gea14576e_abwr.pdf

http://www.ap1000.westinghousenuclear.com/

http://www.areva-np.com/scripts/info/publigen/content/templates/show.asp?P=1655&L=US&SYNC=Y
 

nitesh

Mob Control Manager
Senior Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
7,550
Likes
1,307
eitherways the first companies to arrive will be French Ariva and they will bring the 1650 MW reactor, Westinghouse will also come in later with its 1154 MW reactor and GE will come in with its 1350 mw reactors, now over 10,000MW of reactor needs will given to the GE and Westinghouse initially. L&T signed a MOU with GE. I think every state in our country must get a power plant, depending on the state size, we should pick the size of the reactor and company associated.

http://www.ge-energy.com/prod_serv/products/nuclear_energy/en/downloads/gea14576e_abwr.pdf

Westinghouse AP1000

Businesses::Reactor::EPR::The first-built generation III+ reactor
Al though your thinking is good john but I don't see this happening in short term. Because if we spread nuclear installations it will cost more both in terms of a new site and increased security risk. The plan of GoI is to create nuclear "parks" which will house 6-8 reactors preferably of similar types so it provides the commonality in terms of safety procedures and maintainability. More over the new sites chosen are close to sea ports like WB, Maharashtra. That's my personal observation though.
 
J

John

Guest
offcourse in reality it will be more nuke parks with many reactors, offcourse they will be the largest nuke plants in the world, imagine 6 reactors of Areva a one spot, over 8000MW of power. AP is likely to be the nuke hub of India, The Govt. wants to bring in a lot of power plants in AP, an ideal fit since AP will be the sight where our N-subs, N-missiles are made an based. Its a strategically ideal location. MAha, WB, KErala, Guju, ORissa, TN will also get powerplants.
 

Yusuf

GUARDIAN
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
24,324
Likes
11,757
Country flag
The military nuclear program has nothing to do with the Civilian one. So AP may well want to be a hub for nuclear power, but it will not be on the basis of nuclear subs, and missiles being based there.
That apart, agree with nitesh that the nuclear power plants will be based near ports/coasts. Also there is a fair chance that the majority of these will be based in South India to keep it out of enemy missile threat. Putting a reactor in every state is not feasible. Besides we have a grid system. So electricity generated can be distribute where ever it is required.
 

Sridhar

House keeper
Senior Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
3,474
Likes
1,061
Country flag
India's fast breeder reactor nears second milestone
2009-06-16 12:30:00

India's first indigenously designed fast breeder reactor, which is expected to start functioning at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu by 2010 and generate 500 MW of electricity, is headed for another milestone.

The breeder reactor - which breeds more material for a nuclear fission reaction than it consumes - is being built by the Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (Bhavini) at the Kalpakkam nuclear enclave, 80 km from here. The prototype fast breeder reactor (PFBR) will see a major achievement when its main vessel is lowered into the safety vessel. This is expected shortly.

'We are confident of getting the regulatory clearances for lowering the main vessel soon. We will lower the main vessel into the already erected safety vessel,' Prabhat Kumar, project director of Bhavini, told IANS.

Tasked to build fast breeder reactors in India, Bhavini is awaiting clearance from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). Kumar said around 46 percent of the PFBR project work is complete and by the end of the year it will be 60 percent.

The sodium cooled fast reactor designed by the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) has three vessels - a safety vessel, a main vessel and an inner vessel.

Outermost is the stainless steel safety vessel, which was lowered into the reactor vault last June - the first milestone.

The main vessel made of stainless steel measures 13 metres in diameter, 13 metres in height, weighs 200 tonnes and will go inside the safety vessel to hold the coolant liquid sodium, reactor fuel, grid plates and others.

The third and smaller of the three vessels is the inner vessel - 11 metres tall - and supports equipments like pumps, heat exchangers and others.

According to Kumar, a sum of Rs.1,719 crores has been spent on the project and the company may go in for the placement of bonds to raise funds for the Rs.3,400 crore ($717 million) project.

He said: 'The PFBR will be funded 76 percent by the central government, four percent by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited and the balance through loans. Instead of institutional loans, a decision is expected to be taken for issue of bonds.'

The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) has accorded its sanction for Rs.250 crore to carry out pre-project activities for setting up two more fast reactors at the Kalpakkam nuclear enclave.

'Now the union cabinet will have to accord its sanction,' Kumar said.

According to him, pre-project activities include site inspection, ground levelling, soil survey, laying of roads, setting up site assembly shops, water channels and others.

'It will take around one-and-a-half years to complete the pre-project activities,' he said.

While the reactor uses fission plutonium for power production it breeds more plutonium than what it uses from the natural uranium. The surplus plutonium from each fast reactor can be used to set up more such reactors and grow the nuclear capacity in tune with India's needs.

The Indian fast reactors will be fuelled by a blend of plutonium and uranium oxide. The surplus plutonium from each fast reactor can be used to set up more such reactors and grow the nuclear capacity in tune with India's needs.

http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?...s_fast_breeder_reactor_nears_second_milestone
 

Ray

The Chairman
Professional
Joined
Apr 17, 2009
Messages
43,132
Likes
23,834
Has anything concrete happened because of the US India agreement?
 

nitesh

Mob Control Manager
Senior Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
7,550
Likes
1,307
Has anything concrete happened because of the US India agreement?
Stuck up sir, the "reprocessing rights" and the "limited liability clause" are the major hurdels.
 

nitesh

Mob Control Manager
Senior Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
7,550
Likes
1,307
Pak pushes for FMCT to nuke India?s stockpile- Politics/Nation-News-The Economic Times

Though New Delhi has said that it is ready to take part in FMCT negotiations , it has refused to accept `` obligations’’ that hinder India’s “strategic programme” or the three-stage nuclear programme.

`India is willing to join only a non-discriminatory , multi-laterally negotiated and internationally verifiable FMCT,’’ said a statement by India in the recent plenary at the Conference on Disarmament. Even though India has said that the FMCT is the first step towards global nuclear disarmament, it has maintained the treaty should not “place an undue burden on our military, non-proscribed activities.”

Then there is also the Pakistan factor. Islamabad is using the Indo-US nuclear deal in discussions to target India’s existing stockpiles. In a position that is entirely India-centric , Pakistan at the recent disarmament conference argued that recent nuclear deal has led to an imbalance in the region and that the FMCT should look at existing stockpiles.
 

nitesh

Mob Control Manager
Senior Member
Joined
Feb 12, 2009
Messages
7,550
Likes
1,307
Sign of times: anti-nuclear Ireland’s red carpet for Missile Man | Sindh Today - Online News

Dublin, June 17 (IANS) Ireland, a torchbearer of nuclear non-proliferation, rolled out the red carpet for India’s ‘missile man’ APJ Abdul Kalam – a move that officials on both sides said signalled a recognition of India’s rise on the world stage.
Ireland, a founder-member of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT), was a strident critic of India’s 1998 nuclear test and the radical change in attitude was noted by officials on both sides.

“Our objections to the Indian nuclear test is a closed chapter. There are a small number of international commitments that remain to be fulfilled by India, but essentially we are looking forward now to starting a new phase in our relationship,” a senior Irish foreign office official said.
 
J

John

Guest
The first batch of yellow cake already arrived in April in HYD. First batch was almost 60 tons.
 

youngindian

Senior Member
Joined
May 6, 2009
Messages
1,365
Likes
77
Country flag
'India to announce nuclear sites for US companies'

The Hindu News Update Service



Washington (PTI): India is likely to announce locations for two nuclear power plants, which would be made available to the American companies, during US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to New Delhi next month, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake has said.

Ms. Clinton is scheduled to visit India next month, which officials of the Obama Administration say would be the launching pad to take the Indo-US relationship to a new level in the next few years. Dates of her visit have not been announced yet.

"We hope, at that time, that the Indians will be in a position to announce where nuclear parks -- we hope to have two sites that would be announced, where American companies can go in and provide new reactors, which would be a major source of new business opportunities for American companies," Mr. Blake said on Thursday.

Mr. Blake was responding to a question from Congressman Joe Wilson about the latest status of the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement, which was inked between the two counties last year.

"We are making a great deal of progress. We are most of the way there now. India, as you know, just signed their additional protocol, and now they have got to file with the IAEA (international Atomic Energy Agency) the list of their safeguarded facilities," Mr. Blake said.
 
Joined
Feb 16, 2009
Messages
29,803
Likes
48,289
Country flag
USA has to clarify the position on reprocessing, Russia,France,Canada have stated their positions and moved on with their deals.
 

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top