Russia delivers first batch of nuclear fuel to India

[SATISH]

http://www.zeenews.com/nation/2009-04-11/522343news.html

April 10: Under a multi-million dollar long-term nuclear fuel supply deal between Moscow and New Delhi, Russia has delivered the first batch of 30 metric tonnes of uranium pellets to India.

"Thirty metric tonnes of pellets have been delivered to Hyderabad-based Nuclear Fuel Complex for the production of fuel for 'Rajasthan' NPP," Russia's 'Atomenergoprom' said in a statement.

Under the USD 700 million contract inked between Russia's TVEL Corporation and India's Department of Atomic Energy in February, this is the first batch of Uranium Dioxide pellets delivered to Nuclear Fuel Complex.

One of the largest nuclear fuel producers in the world, TVEL is a wholly owned subsidiary of 'Atomenergoprom'. Under the deal, it would supply the uranium pellets to fuel pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWR) in India.

TVEL would also ensure life-cycle supply of fuel for the light-water VVER reactors of the Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu.

Russia is currently completing the assembly of first two VVER-1000 reactors with total two Megawatt capacity at Kudankulam. Under the deal inked in December 2008 during President Dmitry Medvedev's maiden India visit, Russia will build four more reactors to meet India's growing energy requirements.

 

[Payeng]

First under the deal India and Russia signed recently. Russia had been an old supplier of nuclear fuel to India.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

looks like USA will lose a lot of buisness to France,Russia and Canada if they don't move fast.

 

[SATISH]

LF sir we got what we needed. We needed the IAEA and the NSG nod. We got it. So Russia and France won't stop supplying us with the nuclear material and Civillian nuclear reactors. The Americans can do anything they want but if they don't act fast they will be losing a huge chunk of the $150 billion market in Indian nuclear reactors. Even the first batch of French fuel is here and Areva is lobbying real hard for the French nuclear reactors. The European Nuclear tech is more advanced and efficient than the American tech.

 

[SATISH]

I read somewhere that the Indian Nuclear reactors are running only at 10% of their capablity due to lack of nuclear fuel. Is it true?

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Satish I agree with you, but it is strange for the country that gave us the deal not to be getting most of the buisness? but they were also the country that made us the pariah in the first place, there are techincalities that USA is not sure about like reprocessing that other countries have given a clear answer about, these techincalities are the dealbreakers IMO.

 

[SATISH]

Satish I agree with you, but it is strange for the country that gave us the deal not to be getting most of the buisness? but they were also the country that made us the pariah in the first place.

Sir,
Who gives a hoot about them not getting the money. It is what we want and we are the customers. The US did not calculate the speed at which other governments will move to do business with India.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

also the governtment in USA has changed and they don't seem to acknowledege or want to keep the same policies Bush had.

 

[A.V.]

i would say cheers to the indian policy makers its very rare that we see something so efficiently done by the policy makers. we always tend to criticize them for their failures but they need to be congratulated too, they knew very well that they needed the support of the US to get the IAEA and NSG go ahead, infact india and russia had already planned a similar nuclear deal much before the us but they kept it away and got the us to support us and as soon as they did it signed with the french and the russians.
its a diplomatic win win for the indians now the US will fell what it often does to the others that is to use one to their own advantage.

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

I read somewhere that the Indian Nuclear reactors are running only at 10% of their capablity due to lack of nuclear fuel. Is it true?

I read that its more like 30% to 40%

 

[EnlightenedMonk]

LF sir we got what we needed. We needed the IAEA and the NSG nod. We got it. So Russia and France won't stop supplying us with the nuclear material and Civillian nuclear reactors. The Americans can do anything they want but if they don't act fast they will be losing a huge chunk of the $150 billion market in Indian nuclear reactors. Even the first batch of French fuel is here and Areva is lobbying real hard for the French nuclear reactors. The European Nuclear tech is more advanced and efficient than the American tech.

I heard the same thing about European reactors... In fact, France is the country that supposedly produces the maximum percentage of its electricity consumption through Nuclear energy...

 

[Soham]

I heard the same thing about European reactors... In fact, France is the country that supposedly produces the maximum percentage of its electricity consumption through Nuclear energy...

True.
75% of their electricity comes from the 59 nuclear reactors across the country.
The present situation is due to the French government deciding in 1974, just after the first oil shock, to expand rapidly the country's nuclear power capacity. This decision was taken in the context of France having substantial heavy engineering expertise but few indigenous energy resources. Nuclear energy, with the fuel cost being a relatively small part of the overall cost, made good sense in minimising imports and achieving greater energy security