)
(Red points in the image represent nuclear power stations in India)
Even though UK companies are not engaged in the supply of reactors, they have evinced interest in the supply of number of components including, control, ventilation, reactor parts and also provide enrichment capabilities in India, said senior official of Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC).
NPC official told Business Standard “UK companies have expertise in enrichment capabilities. UK is not uranium producer but companies can convert enriched uranium into fuel. They are quite keen to tap opportunities in the conversion business considering huge fuel requirement in India.” PM’s announcement comes when NPC with the present installed capacity of 4,780 MW proposes to increase the capacity to 63,000 MW by 2032 both through indigenous and foreign reactors.
The official informed that UK companies are also keen on bagging the fabrication contract for nuclear sector. He admitted that although India and UK have signed a joint declaration on civil nuclear cooperation in 2010, the Fukushima nuclear accident took place in March 2011 and the subsequent relook to safety application had hampered talks between the two countries. He added that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement will give further boost to negotiations both at the level of two governments and companies.
SK Jain, former chairman and managing director, Nuclear Power Corporation said “During my tenure discussions with UK companies took place with regard to they becoming part of supply chain for supply of fuel and nuclear components and construction of reactors with foreign collaboration.
