21 Jul (NucNet): A civil nuclear agreement signed between India and Japan in November 2016 came into force on 20 July 2017, allowing Japan to export nuclear power plant technology and provide finance for nuclear power plants in India.
Media reports in India said Japan would also help India with nuclear waste management and could jointly manufacture nuclear power plant components in India.
India is the only Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory with which Japan has entered into a civil nuclear agreement.
India has ambitious plans for nuclear growth. In May 2017 it approved the construction of 10 indigenous pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) with a total installed capacity of 7,000 MW (gross).
The government said India has installed nuclear power capacity of 6,780 MW (gross) from 22 commercially operational plants.
Another 6,700 MW (gross) is expected to come online by 2021-22 through projects already under construction.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, India has five units under construction.
Former US president Barack Obama and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi announced last year that engineering and design work would begin for Westinghouse to build six AP1000s in India in a deal that was expected to be signed by June 2017.
Westinghouse has since filed for bankruptcy protection in the US, but told NucNet: “We continue to pursue the India bids as they were structured in a manner that does not include construction risk.”
The Economic Times of India said on 20 July 2017 that Westinghouse will supply the technology, but construction will be carried out by an Indian partner.
