By Jarret Adams
AREVA signed a series of major agreements today with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL) for the construction of two EPR reactors, with options for four more, and a 25-year supply of fuel.
The agreements between AREVA and NPCIL cover conditions for the contracts, industrial plans and specify the roles of each partner. Site excavation studies and detailed technical configuration for the Jaitapur EPR reactors, in the western state of Maharashtra, will begin in early 2011.
“This historic agreement is the result of a long-term partnership between NPCIL and AREVA to develop EPR reactors in India,” said Anne Lauvergeon, CEO of AREVA, at the signing ceremony in New Delhi. “AREVA’s integrated model and technological edge has made the difference yet again, establishing a strategic position in one of the world’s most dynamic markets.”
India is indeed one of the fastest growing markets for nuclear energy. The Indian government has announced plans to increase the nation’s nuclear capacity from less than 4 Gigawatts (GW) today to 20 GW by 2020.
“The signing of this agreement is good in that we’ve been able to get things moving for the nuclear business in India,” A.V. Kameswara Rao, executive director at PricewaterhouseCoopers Pvt., told Bloomberg BusinessWeek. “Nuclear will be a big part of India’s energy future considering rising prices and protectionism uncertainties around oil and coal. This deal is an encouraging sign.”
AREVA is the world leader in nuclear energy with four Generation 3+ EPR reactors under construction and some 20 more under development or consideration around the world, including the two announced today in India.
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