Another Nuclear Deal ? > Nuclear ties in focus ahead of Trump visit !

[Chanakyaa]

New Delhi: The largest US nuclear delegation to visit India in five years held talks with senior Indian officials last week, exploring collaborations in research and development (R&D) and advanced nuclear technology, besides offering nuclear power plants in a range of sizes.

The delegation of a dozen people representing the US industry and government, headed by Rita Baranwal, assistant secretary for the office of nuclear energy in the department of energy, was in India on 10-14 February to explore opportunities.

The visit came ahead of US President Donald Trump’s 24-25 February official trip to India next week.

Besides collaborating with India in R&D and advanced nuclear technology, the US has offered nuclear power plants in three sizes—small modular, micro, and bigger plants of at least one gigawatt capacity.

The delegation held meetings with officials in India’s external affairs ministry and the department of atomic energy as well as representatives of the nuclear power industry in New Delhi and Mumbai. The US side included representatives of the uranium enrichment supply chain as well as reactor builders.

It was the largest US delegation to visit India since the two countries in 2015 ironed out differences that cropped up after India passed its civil nuclear liability law in 2010, pinning responsibility in the event of an accident on the equipment supplier rather than the operator of the plant.

Baranwal, who was appointed in July 2019, said the aim was to open a “new chapter" in India-US civil nuclear energy partnership. “We are moving forward with a lot of optimism," she said.

“Part of our visit is focused on R&D activities. So, it’s not just the commercial side of cooperation but also truly leveraging the R&D expertise that India has, as well as the US has, and in collaborating in that space as well," Baranwal said in an interview last week.

“There are a lot of really talented researchers in India and I think we need to continue our discussions and leverage that talent so that as we move forward to deploy advanced nuclear technology reactors we have the technology talent that can assist with deploying and operating those types of nuclear reactors," she said.

“And when I talk about advanced nuclear technology I mean not only the large gigawatt-size reactors such as Westinghouse AP-1000 but also the SMR (small modular reactor) technology and the even smaller micro reactor."

With energy-starved India’s huge requirements, Baranwal said the country could look at all three classes of plants. Small modular reactors that could be constructed on sites were less labour intensive and their capacities could be expanded if needed. Micro reactors could be used for small island communities.

Chris Levesque, president of TerraPower, which builds reactors, said “one of the motivations for coming to India has been the strong encouragement the American companies have been receiving" from the US administration. “We are looking to cooperate in nuclear R&D that is a very trusted relationship and that is what we are encouraged to do," he said.

The US is looking to set up advanced nuclear technology demonstration reactors in the next five-seven years. The new technologies would be for the US market, “but we hope to see them deployed globally and it will be really great to have Indian cooperation early in the process. So, the idea will be not just selling reactors in India. The idea would be maybe there is an opportunity for India to participate in R&D and that would really lead towards deployment in India some day and partial Indian ownership of that technology", he added.

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/nuclear-ties-in-focus-ahead-of-trump-visit-11582049040350.html

@Nilgiri @Water Car Engineer @Srinivas

 

[Novice09]

Welcome back bro @XiNiX

US opened a market and no one is buying his products... as Russia and EU are preferable... that's the reason...

 

[The Eagle]

Isn't a bit late case for US since Russia-India have already signed agreements in this regard? I think Russians were constructing reactors etc as well.

 

[Krptonite]

Isn't a bit late case for US since Russia-India have already signed agreements in this regard? I think Russians were constructing reactors etc as well.

It's an expanding market sector, energy consumption is rising and of all the available solutions, nuclear energy is the most suitable for our needs.

 

[Nilgiri]

Isn't a bit late case for US since Russia-India have already signed agreements in this regard? I think Russians were constructing reactors etc as well.

There are 4 main legacy design branches in commercial reactors: US, Russia, Canada and France. Each one has sub-branches (and new directional research they are conducting) but they all have various strengths, weaknesses, benefits and costs etc.

Any (esp large) country looking to expand commercial nuclear energy basically would benefit from having access, cooperation and competition between all 4 to augment its own sector's research and deployment.

US has lately done the most research in reactor miniaturisation for example, which is of key interest to India with land acquisition premium in areas with highest energy density demands.

 

[alee92nawaz]

New Delhi: The largest US nuclear delegation to visit India in five years held talks with senior Indian officials last week, exploring collaborations in research and development (R&D) and advanced nuclear technology, besides offering nuclear power plants in a range of sizes.

The delegation of a dozen people representing the US industry and government, headed by Rita Baranwal, assistant secretary for the office of nuclear energy in the department of energy, was in India on 10-14 February to explore opportunities.

The visit came ahead of US President Donald Trump’s 24-25 February official trip to India next week.

Besides collaborating with India in R&D and advanced nuclear technology, the US has offered nuclear power plants in three sizes—small modular, micro, and bigger plants of at least one gigawatt capacity.

The delegation held meetings with officials in India’s external affairs ministry and the department of atomic energy as well as representatives of the nuclear power industry in New Delhi and Mumbai. The US side included representatives of the uranium enrichment supply chain as well as reactor builders.

It was the largest US delegation to visit India since the two countries in 2015 ironed out differences that cropped up after India passed its civil nuclear liability law in 2010, pinning responsibility in the event of an accident on the equipment supplier rather than the operator of the plant.

Baranwal, who was appointed in July 2019, said the aim was to open a “new chapter" in India-US civil nuclear energy partnership. “We are moving forward with a lot of optimism," she said.

“Part of our visit is focused on R&D activities. So, it’s not just the commercial side of cooperation but also truly leveraging the R&D expertise that India has, as well as the US has, and in collaborating in that space as well," Baranwal said in an interview last week.

“There are a lot of really talented researchers in India and I think we need to continue our discussions and leverage that talent so that as we move forward to deploy advanced nuclear technology reactors we have the technology talent that can assist with deploying and operating those types of nuclear reactors," she said.

“And when I talk about advanced nuclear technology I mean not only the large gigawatt-size reactors such as Westinghouse AP-1000 but also the SMR (small modular reactor) technology and the even smaller micro reactor."

With energy-starved India’s huge requirements, Baranwal said the country could look at all three classes of plants. Small modular reactors that could be constructed on sites were less labour intensive and their capacities could be expanded if needed. Micro reactors could be used for small island communities.

Chris Levesque, president of TerraPower, which builds reactors, said “one of the motivations for coming to India has been the strong encouragement the American companies have been receiving" from the US administration. “We are looking to cooperate in nuclear R&D that is a very trusted relationship and that is what we are encouraged to do," he said.

The US is looking to set up advanced nuclear technology demonstration reactors in the next five-seven years. The new technologies would be for the US market, “but we hope to see them deployed globally and it will be really great to have Indian cooperation early in the process. So, the idea will be not just selling reactors in India. The idea would be maybe there is an opportunity for India to participate in R&D and that would really lead towards deployment in India some day and partial Indian ownership of that technology", he added.

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/nuclear-ties-in-focus-ahead-of-trump-visit-11582049040350.html

@Nilgiri @Water Car Engineer @Srinivas

Are there any big ticket defence items that will be discussed?

 

[Chanakyaa]

Are there any big ticket defence items that will be discussed?

I think they have finalized Navel Helicopters , SAMs and some other deals.

 

[CONNAN]

Are there any big ticket defence items that will be discussed?

The $2.6 billion deal for 24 MH-60 `Romeo’ multi-mission helicoptors . 6 more apaches to IA these are follow on order to the existing 22 ordered by IAF bringing total to 28 . Hellfire missiles, MK-54 torpedoes. follow on order six more P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft bringing total to 18. 30 Sea Guardian armed drones. 13 MK-45 naval gun systems for warships

 

[BL33D]

U.S. energy firm Westinghouse is expected to sign a new agreement with state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India for the supply of six nuclear reactors during U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit next week, officials said, aiming to kickstart a long-running project.

The agreement will lay out timelines and the lead local constructor for the reactors to be built at Kovvada in southern India and also address lingering concerns over India’s nuclear liability law.

The United States has been discussing the sale of nuclear reactors to energy-hungry India since a 2008 landmark civil nuclear energy pact and last year the two governments announced they were committed to the establishment of the six reactors.

Last week representatives from U.S. energy and commerce departments, Westinghouse, the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum and The Nuclear Energy Institute were in India for talks with government officials as part of a commercial mission to promote nuclear exports to India.

“We are encouraging moving forward with Westinghouse and NPCIL to sign a MoU. It certainly is a private industry to private industry, a business to business decision,” Dr. Rita Baranwal assistant secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy in the U.S. Department of Energy, told Reuters in a phone interview.

“We’re optimistic that an MoU will be signed shortly,” Baranwal, who was part of the mission, said. Once that is cleared the two sides will begin contract negotiations, delivery schedules and pick vendors. The plan for a new MoU has not been previously reported.

Westinghouse did not respond to a request for comment nor did NPCIL. But Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said on Thursday Westinghouse and NPCIL were in talks to move forward with the project.

“Following resolution of Westinghouse’s bankruptcy issues, the two sides are in discussion regarding the division of responsibility of the work,” he said.

Trump has made bilateral trade with India a top priority, seeking greater market access for U.S. products from farm goods to motorcycles. Negotiators are trying to put together a limited trade deal before a bigger agreement that Trump said this week will probably happen after the U.S. presidential elections.

Lack of movement on the nuclear reactors has been a sensitive issue, another member of the U.S. delegation said, after Washington made an exception for India by agreeing to provide it civilian nuclear energy technology even though it has not given up its nuclear weapons program.

A longstanding obstacle has been the need to bring Indian liability rules in-line with international norms, which require the costs of any accident to be channeled to the operator rather than the maker of a nuclear power station.

Pittsburgh-based Westinghouse’s plans to supply the AP1000 reactors to India which it has also sold to China were thrown into further doubt when it filed for bankruptcy in 2017 after cost overruns on U.S. reactors.

LIABILITY LAW
Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management (BAMa.TO) bought Westinghouse from Toshiba in August 2018 and has sought progress on the India sale over the next six-seven months, the member of the U.S. delegation said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

India has made clear there is no going back on the 2010 Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage law that foreign governments and vendors say leaves open the possibility of lawsuits against suppliers for nuclear accidents, rather than the operators of the plants.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has tried to limit the impact of that law by setting up an insurance fund for potential victims of a nuclear accident.

“To be clear, there are still open issues around the liability issue,” Baranwal said, adding it was part of the discussions last week. “I can’t say that it’s been resolved. But we made some progress and understanding was that concerns were at a higher level.”

India expects to generate 22,480 MW of electricity from nuclear stations by 2031 up from the 2019 level of 6780 MW.

But with renewable power dropping in price and the government’s focus on solar power generation, there is a chance nuclear power will remain only small proportion of the country’s energy mix where it stands at 1.9 percent.

V.K. Saraswat, a top member of the government think-tank Niti Aayog said while solar was top priority, the government remained committed to nuclear energy also, as a clean source.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ear-reactors-during-trump-visit-idUSKBN20E1PM