US energy cos keen on selling reactors post N-deal

Mumbai: American nuclear energy companies are interested in selling to India about eight `light water reactors' each having capacity to produce power in the range of 1,000 MW to 1,600 MW, once the Indo-US nuclear deal is finally signed.

Such reactors in the past have been exported to Taiwan and Japan, said Mr Timothy Richards, Chairman of US India Business Council (USIBC) for Civilian Nuclear Energy and Director of International Energy Policy at General Electric.

He is leading a US civilian nuclear delegation to discuss possible collaborations with Indian companies and chalk out a roadmap for future collaborations, once the deal is completed.

Mr Richards told presspersons on Thursday that a number of Indian energy companies are also interested in collaborating with US companies. Indian companies have offered their skills in heavy forging, EPC contracting and engineering. These companies are also hopeful that once the deal is completed, the Indian law regarding ban on private participation in nuclear energy would be lifted and there would be a possibility of a joint venture partnership for producing nuclear power.

Mr David Sloan, Director of NUKEM Inc, pointed that there exist business opportunities for Indian companies to import and process uranium, which could further exported to a third country.

Jt working group


A joint nuclear cooperation working group of the Confederation of Indian Industry and USIBC has been formed. It has established a task force to prepare the way for effective cooperation; navigate the requirements for doing business in the civilian nuclear field and provide private sector partnership input to the two governments.

Mr Ted Jones, Director of Policy Advocacy and Business Development, USIBC, said that the taskforce work plan includes public acceptance of nuclear policy, private sector ownership of nuclear power plants in India, liability protection and regulatory requirements.