BHEL in talks with global firms to make nuclear reactors

With nuclear power generation emerging as a big business opportunity, state-owned Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL), has entered into talks with global players, including Alstom and Toshiba for manufacturing nuclear reactors to provide end-to-end solutions.

"Yes our interest is there in (building) reactors, we have done components and now we are looking at providing end-to-end solutions in this segment that includes manufacturing of nuclear reactors," BHEL Chairman and Managing Director B P Rao told PTI.

The company is likely to form a joint venture company with Nuclear Power Corporation of India for setting up atomic power plants in the country and has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the same.

However, to provide end-to-end solutions, the JV would have to induct a technology partner and for that BHEL has been talking to the global players.

Besides BHEL, other private players including Bharat Forge and L&T are also talking to several global players for manufacturing nuclear equipments in India to grab the business.

The government has plans to add up to 20,000 Mw of power generation in the nuclear segment in the next decade offering huge potential for the equipments suppliers.