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| Fuelling the nuclear ambition |
| Sanjay Jog / Mumbai Dec 15, 2010, 00:02 IST |
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Nuclear Power Corporation is adopting a multi-pronged strategy to help ramp up India’s capacity.
 From a low-key government undertaking to a major player on the global landscape, Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) has come a long way. With 20 reactors of 4,780 Mw in operation, the company is leveraging India’s newfound nuclear renaissance and is at the epicentre of a gigantic effort to increase India’s nuclear capacity to 63,000 Mw by 2032 at an investment of $40 billion. NPC Chairman & Managing Director SK Jain believes this can be achieved by fusing western technology with Indian industry’s competitive edge.
Even though nuclear power’s share is just a paltry 3 per cent of the country’s total installed capacity of over 150,000 Mw, India is recognised as a country with advanced nuclear technologies. This is thanks to the development of indigenous capabilities in all aspects of nuclear power and associated fuel cycles. The signing of the India-US civil nuclear deal proved key to ending India’s nuclear apartheid and giving it access to fuel from members of the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group.
NPC has adopted a multi-pronged strategy that focuses on developing 40,000 Mw of large capacity light water reactors (LWRs) at coastal sites; 10 pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) of 700 Mw each; and two oxide fuel-based fast-breeder reactors (FBRs).
At about 10,000 Mw each, four state-of-the-art LWRs are planned in the first instance. They comprise reactors from Atom Story Export of the Russian Federation, Areva of France, General Electric Hitachi of the US and Westinghouse Electric Company, also of the US. These reactors would be fuelled by imported fuel and be under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.
JVs & collaborations
Jain admits that the size of India’s nuclear ambition is large, but that it needs to be realised quickly. In order to accelerate the process, NPC is forming joint ventures with both Indian companies and foreign players to build reactors, create forging capacity and mobilise funds. The JV route was obvious, considering the constraints in procuring reactors and forging material as some 40 countries are currently initiated nuclear capacity addition programmes.
“Such JVs are essential, as there are severe supply constraints in case of forgings and castings, both in terms of size and volumes, steam-generator tube production capacity and special-grade steel, particularly in terms of volume,” explains Jain.
Typically, nuclear projects are developed on a 70:30 debt-equity ratio and do not get any budgetary allocation. NPC has a cash surplus of over Rs 13,000 crore, its net assets are worth Rs 38,448 crore and has a net-worth of Rs 21,268 crore. The equity would be raised from internal and extra-budgetary resources of NPC and participation of partners.
The debt is planned from domestic borrowings for PHWRs. For LWRs, the debt is expected to come from the vendors’ home country government loans and market borrowings. “The key would be to reduce the cost of capital, particularly debt, and also ensure that our interests are protected over the long term,” says Jain.
As a beginning, NPC, Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) and Alstom’s Indian arm APIL have formed a JV to provide technical support and supply turbines to nuclear power projects in India. APIL is a one-third equity partner with a capital of €25 million. Initially, the JV will supply turbines to eight units of 700 Mw each being developed by NPC. The value of supplies is likely to be around Rs 6,000 crore. Eight nuclear reactors of 700 Mw each are being planned in Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh based on heavy water technology.
Further, NPC and Larsen & Toubro have entered into a JV to produce special steels and ultra heavy forgings. The JV was incorporated as a subsidiary of L&T with NPC holding 26 per cent of the paid-up capital. Jain explains that indigenous manufacture of forgings would close a critical gap in Indian industry’s capability to produce equipment for nuclear and thermal power plants.
NPC has also formed JV with India’s largest power generator, NTPC, to set up at least two reactors of 1,000 Mw each. Simultaneously, NPC will help NTPC in the development of reactors in the country.
NPC has formed JV with leading oil marketing company Indian Oil Corporation to set up nuclear power plants. “IOC has indicated that it will contribute Rs 10,000 crore towards equity. Similarly, NPC has entered into a JV with National Aluminium Company for the same purpose. Nalco is expected to contribute Rs 4,000-5,000 crore towards equity,” he adds. NPC is also in talks with Steel Authority of India and Indian Railways for similar JVs.
Challenges & solutions
“Ensuring a smooth supply chain & project execution, capacity and capability enhancement of Indian industry, adequacy and appropriateness of human resources and appropriate partnerships for investment in the power programme are key focus areas,” Jain explains.
Finding appropriate sites for nuclear and allied facilities will also pose a major challenge. Efforts are therefore directed to using available sites to their full potential. Baskets of potential sites have been identified for planned capacity. As far as fuel is concerned, the uranium reserves in the country are adequate to support a 1,000-Mw PHWR programme.
However, difficulties in opening new mines have led to the present demand-supply mismatch. The opening of new mines and mills, and resumption of international cooperation, promise to boost uranium availability. “NPC plans to form a JV with Uranium Corporation of India to acquire stakes in uranium supplying companies in various countries,” Jain says.
Safety and environment protection are especially important. However, Jain explains that NPC meets all compliances laid down by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and other agencies. Comprehensive and systematic safety assessments by multi- tier and multi-disciplinary reviews during each stage — design, construction, commissioning and operation — of nuclear plants are carried out.
More importantly, making tariffs for nuclear power projects competitive compared with thermal projects is another challenge. Jain explains that tariffs are influenced by many factors such as capital cost and construction period. The larger capacity plants should deliver power at lower cost on account of economies of scale.
The average tariff in 2009-10 was maintained at the same Rs 2.30 a unit as 2008-09, despite a 15 per cent increase in fuel cost. “With measures such as increasing the unit size of future reactors and reduction in the gestation period, the nuclear power would be further competitive,” Jain explains. At the same time, localisation of technology and supplies would help in bringing down the capital cost, thereby making tariffs more competitive.
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