India, France Review EPR Reactor Plan and Nuclear Supply Chain Localisation
India and France reviewed the proposed deployment of EPR reactors, localisation of the nuclear supply chain and pumped hydro storage cooperation, the Ministry of Power said.
India and France reviewed the proposed deployment of European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) technology in the country, along with efforts to localise the nuclear supply chain and cooperation on pumped hydro storage projects, during talks in New Delhi on Friday.
Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal met Bernard Fontana, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of French energy company EDF, to take stock of the ongoing engagement on the proposed induction of EPR reactors into India's nuclear programme.
The discussions covered the deployment of EPR technology, India's regulatory reforms for the nuclear sector, cooperation on pumped hydro storage and the road ahead for a mutually beneficial partnership, the Ministry of Power said.
EDF briefed the Indian side on its work to build an ecosystem and supply chain within India for large-scale localisation. The company conveyed that a substantial programme involving multiple nuclear reactors would give suppliers the confidence to invest and help achieve economies of scale by drawing on Indian industry's capabilities.
Agarwal, in turn, updated the French delegation on progress in finalising the country's regulatory framework for nuclear power, including the draft SHANTI — Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India — Rules and Regulations. The draft has been placed in the public domain by the Department of Atomic Energy for stakeholder consultation.
The proposed rules provide for a streamlined, time-bound licensing framework and would enable the participation of private and foreign partners in India's nuclear power programme.
The two sides also discussed cooperation on pumped hydro storage projects, building on a proposed joint venture between NTPC and EDF in the segment.
Officials from the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Central Electricity Authority, NTPC Limited and NPCIL represented the Indian side. EDF and the Embassy of France in India were represented from the French side.