India nuclear Capabilities

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Hi All,
I am initiating this thread to post news and Information about India's nuclear capabilities. The idea is to post news items and views about Nuclear capabilities in all walks of economy.....from Nuclear Warheads to Nuclear power generation and other peaceful uses of Nuclear technologies.

I request Mods to please make this a sticky thread.

Nuclear Power in India


India has a flourishing and largely indigenous nuclear power program and expects to have 20,000 MWe nuclear capacity on line by 2020 and 63,000 MWe by 2032. It aims to supply 25% of electricity from nuclear power by 2050.

Because India is outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty due to its weapons program, it has been for 34 years largely excluded from trade in nuclear plant or materials, which has hampered its development of civil nuclear energy until 2009.

Due to these trade bans and lack of indigenous uranium, India has uniquely been developing a nuclear fuel cycle to exploit its reserves of thorium.

Now, foreign technology and fuel are expected to boost India's nuclear power plans considerably. All plants will have high indigenous engineering content.

India has a vision of becoming a world leader in nuclear technology due to its expertise in fast reactors and thorium fuel cycle.


Nuclear Power in India

 

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India promises 12,000% boost in nuclear capacity by 2050

India announced the world’s boldest nuclear power development plan yesterday, saying that it could boost its atomic capacity by 12,000 per cent by 2050 to end crippling power shortages while limiting carbon emissions.

Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister, predicted that India could produce 470 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2050, compared with the 3.8GW currently produced by its 17 reactors.

India’s target is almost five times the current nuclear power capacity of the United States — the world’s biggest producer with 100GW, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

It far outstrips predicted US nuclear capacity in 2050 as well as China’s plans — previously the world’s most ambitious — to increase the power generated by its reactors from the current 9GW to about 300GW by that year.

“Our nuclear industry is poised for a major expansion and there will be huge opportunities for the global nuclear industry,” Dr Singh told an atomic energy conference in Delhi. “This will sharply reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and will be a major contribution to global efforts to combat climate change.”

India also announced yesterday that US companies would be allowed to set up “nuclear parks” at two sites in the states of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh under a landmark bilateral nuclear deal.

The deal — struck in 2005 but approved by the US Congress only last year — lifts a ban on India buying US nuclear technology and fuel that was imposed after Delhi tested its first nuclear weapon in 1974.

Alan McDonald, an expert on nuclear power at the IAEA, told The Times that before the US deal India had set a target of generating about 270GW of nuclear power by 2050.

He said the new target was roughly in line with the IAEA’s upper estimates up until 2030, but questioned how India would maintain momentum up until 2050.

“That kind of growth for a decade is not unprecedented but maintaining it over four decades is probably a challenge,” he said.

Mr McDonald said that the success of the plan would depend on factors including the cost of nuclear reactors, the price of fossil fuels and international efforts to impose binding caps on carbon emissions.

Many other experts also doubt that India will meet its target given the bureaucratic corruption and inefficiency that has stalled so many other infrastructure projects. Nevertheless, they welcome the Government’s new willingness to outline plans to meet India’s energy needs at the same time as tackling climate change.

India’s total power generation capacity is currently only 150GW — less than a fifth of China’s — and demand outstripped supply by 9.5 per cent between 2008-09, according to the Power Ministry. An estimated 600 million Indians are still not connected to the national grid.

India has long resisted Western pressure to agree to binding cuts on carbon emissions, arguing that it must first generate enough power to serve its 1.1 billion people.

It has recently announced a series of proposals that have wrong-footed Western critics in the run-up to a UN conference on climate change in Copenhagen in December.

India unveiled the world’s biggest solar power development plan last month, pledging to increase capacity from 0 to 20GW by 2020.

The Government said this month that it was drafting legislation to set non-binding targets for mitigating carbon emissions. It agreed last week to provide annual updates on its progress to the UN.

India promises 12,000% boost in nuclear capacity by 2050 - Times Online

 

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India expands nuclear ambitions


India's nuclear sector is set to expand in a big way.

A major increase in nuclear power generation over the next 40 years will help India reduce its impact on global warming, Indian PM Manmohan Singh says.

Speaking in Delhi, he said the nuclear industry would have huge opportunities in India after the civilian nuclear deal signed last year with the US.Mr Singh also regretted that the global non-proliferation regime had failed to prevent nuclear proliferation.
India has refused to sign the UN's Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

'Safer energy'
Mr Singh told the international atomic conference in Delhi that the civilian nuclear supply agreement with the US had opened up an era of safer and cleaner energy production.He suggested that by 2050 nearly 500,000 MW of energy could come from Indian nuclear power stations.

"There will be huge opportunities for the global nuclear industry to participate in the expansion of India's nuclear energy programme. This will sharply reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and will be a major contribution to global efforts to combat climate change," he said.
The BBC's Chris Morris in Delhi says this is only a long-term vision.
Over the next decade the contribution of nuclear energy is expected to rise from just 3% to 6% of the country's total needs.
Coal still accounts for more than 50% of India's energy use - which is why Mr Singh urged India to think big about nuclear energy, our correspondent says.
India urgently needs a huge increase in power production, as hundreds of millions of its people are not even connected to the national grid.
The country is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and has been under pressure from developed countries to cap carbon emissions.

'Universal disarmament'
Mr Singh said India was proud of its non-proliferation record and was committed to global efforts to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

"Global non-proliferation, to be successful, should be universal, comprehensive and non-discriminatory and linked to the goal of complete nuclear disarmament," he told the conference.
India recently resisted renewed efforts to persuade non-signatory states to sign the NPT.

BBC NEWS | South Asia | India expands nuclear ambitions

 

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India L&T can build nuclear capacity of 3-4,000 MW

NEW DELHI, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Indian engineering and construction firm Larsen & Toubro (LART.BO) can build nuclear power plants with total capacity of 3,000 to 4,000 megawatts per year, its chairman said on Tuesday.

"To build four to six reactors is not a problem," A.M. Naik told a news conference.

"I don't think there is a chance to do more than 2,000 MW (domestically) because the country's not yet ready in a big way."

The company has invested $500 million in its nuclear business, he said.

India L&T can build nuclear capacity of 3-4,000 MW | Industries | Industrials, Materials & Utilities | Reuters

 

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US India Business Council (USIBC) applauds India's sites allotment for US N-power reactors

The US India Business Council (USIBC) has welcomed India's move to reserve sites for the US commercial nuclear technology and described it as a significant step towards implementing the US-India civil nuclear initiative. The Cabinet has reserved two sites — Mithi Virdi in Gujarat and Kovada in Andhra Pradesh — to host the US nuclear reactor parks in India.

Designation of the sites was advocated by the USIBC, Washington-based trade group that championed the successful US initiative to end the global ban against commercial nuclear trade with India, Ron Somers, USIBC President told reporters.

"Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat are excellent locations," he said adding "these places have people who appreciate the benefits of reliable electricity supplies and have abundant human talent to erect and maintain these state-of-the-art facilities."

"We're delighted to see the historic US-India nuclear accord move into implementation," said Ted Jones, Director for Energy, Environment and Enterprise at USIBC.

USIBC, in partnership with the Nuclear Energy Institute and the US Commercial Service of the US International Trade Administration, will lead an executive delegation of US commercial nuclear companies to India in early December this year, Somers said.

"Our commercial nuclear companies are eager to play a role in India's sustainable development," Jones said.

The US firms have eagerly awaited official designation of sites to their companies, necessary for project development to proceed.

"US companies bring not just zero-carbon nuclear power, but the most advanced and safest nuclear reactors and reactor components in the world," he claimed.

In September last, the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, with strong leadership from the US, amended its rules to allow India to engage in international trade in commercial nuclear equipment, fuel and technology.

Since then, India has moved forward with other nations like Russia, France and Kazakhstan, purchasing Uranium from multiple countries and designating nuclear sites to Russia and France.

With officially designating sites for the US technology, India is fulfilling its commitment to partner with the US companies in the forthcoming expansion of its nuclear generating capacity.

According to India's plans, each reactor park will ultimately host between six and eight reactors.

"The new plants are not the only opportunity for US suppliers. More immediately, they will find opportunities in supplying fuel, components and services to India's existing fleet of reactors," Jones added.

"During the December trade mission, we will meet with Indian policymakers and public-sector executives to identify these opportunities and work to enable our full participation in the Indian market," Jones said.

However, a few important steps still remain to enable full participation by the private sector. These include India's bringing into force the India-specific IAEA safeguards agreement, a prerequisite for any international participation in India and the country's adoption of a nuclear liability law, a prerequisite for participation by the private sector, including Indian private sector companies, he said.

The private sector companies, both in the US and India, are hopeful that the Indian Government will soon approve a nuclear liability law consistent with the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC), an IAEA-sponsored treaty to guarantee compensation in the event of an accident and share costs among international participants.

Only with predictable liability risks, provided by the CSC, can private companies provide India the world's newest, most efficient and safest technologies.

Meanwhile, Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission Dr Anil Kakodkar said, India is working simultaneously on various issues to enable the co-operation, including approval of liability law, and is getting ready for the CSC too.

USIBC applauds India's sites allotment for US N-power reactors

 

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India Chooses To Tackle Carbon Cuts with Untested Nuclear Power

Right now most people are aware of the UK’s fight to cut carbon emissions to reach their overall goal. Well it now seems, according to India’s prime minister, that India has just signed a huge push in nuclear power over the next few decades. Although this may sound like a good thing, this untested technology is based on nuclear waste and the radioactive element thorium.

The prime minister, Manmohan Singh, when speaking at the conference of atomic scientists in Delhi, said that 470,000MWs of energy could come from Indian nuclear power stations by 2050. This is more than 100 times the current output of India’s current 17 reactors.

The good news is that this will greatly reduce India’s dependence on fossil fuels. Overall, it will be a major contribution to the global efforts on climate change, which is something that the UK is working so hard for. Of course, India’s plans, which are very reliant on untested technology, have been extremely criticized by anti-nuclear campaigners. They simply say that this seems more like a nightmare that is disguised as a dream.

The minister went on to say that a new breakthrough deal with the United States has opened the door for the country to start thinking on a bigger scale. This will allow India to reach the demands of its billion strong population. Of course, the prime minister did not go into any information on how much the plan was going to cost or just how this plan was going to be paid for.

This new statement by the prime minister also brings Delhi alongside Beijing, which has long promoted atomic energy. India’s plan would actually be a step above China, which currently has 11 reactors that make about 8,000MW. However, China did propose a plan that by 2020 this output could be increase almost 10 fold.

India Chooses To Tackle Carbon Cuts with Untested Nuclear Power | Electric.co.uk News

 

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Indian Nuclear Park Allotments Receives A Bid

A US-India trade group has called for the reservation of two sites for US commercial nuclear technology, which is a vital step toward the US-India civil nuclear deal implementation. The sites are located at Mithi Virdi in Gujarat and Kovada in Andhra Pradesh.

Ted Jones, a US-India Business Council official, mentioned that, Ted Jones, a US-India Business Council official, mentioned that, "We're delighted to see the historic US-India nuclear accord move into implementation”. USIBC is a trade group located in Washington, which represents about 300 US companies who are handling business with India.

"Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat are both excellent locations," said Ron Somers, USIBC president. "They have people who appreciate the benefits of reliable electricity supplies, and abundant human talent to erect and maintain these state-of-the-art facilities."

A delegation of USIBC, the Nuclear Energy Institute and the US Commercial Service of the US International Trade Administration will visit India in December for visiting the nuclear park sites.

"Our commercial nuclear companies are eager to play a role in India's sustainable development," added Jones, Director for Energy, Environment and Enterprise at USIBC.

"US companies bring not just zero-carbon nuclear power, but the most advanced and safest nuclear reactors and reactor components in the world."

The US firms had been waiting for the official designation. India has mentioned that each of the reactor parks will be the home to 6-8 reactors.

"The new plants are not the only opportunity for US suppliers. More immediately, they will find opportunities in supplying fuel, components and services to India's existing fleet of reactors," said Jones.

"During the December trade mission, we will meet with Indian policymakers and public-sector executives to identify these opportunities and work to enable our full participation in the Indian market."

USBIC has mentioned that India has to implement the India-specific International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards agreement as well as a nuclear liability law for enabling a comprehensive participation from private sector.

Indian Nuclear Park Allotments Receives A Bid

 

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N-deal good only for India

The New Indian Express - Best of South India News, Entertainment, Cricket, Business, Lifestyle

NEW DELHI: India got away with too much in the India-United States civil nuclear agreement and that deal might now “jeopardise” global efforts for a nuclear weapons-free world. This is the assessment from the chair of the Australia-Japan sponsored International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, which wound up a two-day meeting here on Sunday with experts from South Asia.
The India-US agreement had led to an India-specific waiver on nuclear trade by the nuclear suppliers group (NSG), even though Delhi has not signed the nuclear non proliferation treaty (NPT). There was a feeling that “the India-US treaty might work to jeopardise the foundation of NPT”, Yoriko Kawaguchi, former Japanese foreign minister and co-chair of the International Commission, told reporters after the closed-door sessions.
Gareth Evans, the other co-chair of the panel and a former Australian foreign minister, said it was not India’s problem that it had managed to get a good deal – the right to buy nuclear supplies and technology without giving a formal commitment that it wouldn’t test a nuclear weapon again. It was the international community, led by the United States, that “didn’t get the best deal in return”, Evans said.
Evans also said the apprehension that other countries might ask for a similar civilian nuclear cooperation agreement was something that fails to “fill us with joy or enthusiasm”.
The International Commission set up last year by the two countries known to take a tough stand against nuclear non-proliferation is working - in a non-official manner – to soften the ground ahead of the May 2010 NPT review conference. India has already said that it won’t sign the NPT unless it is on equal terms: it must be treated as a nuclear weapon state. And Pakistan won’t sign till India does.
Evans said the Indian position has been quite clear and the Commission didn’t expect it to change in a hurry. But it was looking for an indication from Delhi that it could sign the comprehensive test ban treaty (CTBT) if America ratified it, and also consider signing a proposed fissile material cut-off treaty (FMCT).
Observers expect India to come under increasing pressure over the next several months on CTBT. India wants to be treated in a “non-discriminatory” way on the CTBT as well. Delhi Policy Group’s Shankar Bajpai said at the same press conference that his silence there did not mean that he agreed with the Commission’s view on the India-US nuclear deal.
Former National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra is one of the commissioners on the panel. He took part in the meetings but did not attend the press conference. Evans made it clear that the Commission was not aiming at consensus, but by interaction with experts across the globe it would be able to draft a more realistic report for next year’s NPT review.

 

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If it's for nuclear energy, good for India. But diverting the Uranium and TOT for weapons is a direct violation of 1-2-3 Deal, CNBT, NPT, UNSC.

 

[indiatech]

If it's for nuclear energy, good for India. But diverting the Uranium and TOT for weapons is a direct violation of 1-2-3 Deal, CNBT, NPT, UNSC.

The nuclear investments by foreign nations are growing only because india has seperated the Civil and defence nuclear assets .

By the way India has enough local Uranium for 50 years if the whole amount is only used for production of electricity at the rate of 10000 MW using its PHWR .

Uranium Corporation of India mentions six new mining projects — three in Jharkhand, two in Andhra Pradesh and one in Meghalaya — apart from exploration work in Karnataka and Rajasthan.

 

[Chanakyaa]

The nuclear investments by foreign nations are growing only because india has seperated the Civil and defence nuclear assets .

By the way India has enough local Uranium for 50 years if the whole amount is only used for production of electricity at the rate of 10000 MW using its PHWR .

Uranium Corporation of India mentions six new mining projects — three in Jharkhand, two in Andhra Pradesh and one in Meghalaya — apart from exploration work in Karnataka and Rajasthan.

Add To It, the Thorium we have, which can give us power for over 500 Years!!!

 

[RPK]

Add To It, the Thorium we have, which can give us power for over 500 Years!!!

More then that ! world largest Thorium is found in Indian beaches

 

[indiatech]

Thorium is excellent. But we need to wait for the AHWR to be fully stable and proven by 2011 before producing next generation Thorium based AHWR. Thorium is ultimate thing for india and no doubt will be success, but we need to burn some U238 first to cope up with our growth demand.

 

[Chanakyaa]

More then that ! world largest Thorium is found in Indian beaches

Yeah, almost.
with 290000 Tonnes, we are second to Australia with 300000 Tonnes of Th Reserves.

 

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India’s Nuclear Power Corp targets 63,000 MW by 2032

With India having recently approved eight sites for new nuclear power plants, the state-run Nuclear Power Corp has set itself a target of 63,000 MW of atomic energy over the next 25 years, its top official has said.

“By 2032, we will be able to generate 63,000 MW of power. This will be done with a mixture of indigenous technology and foreign collaboration,” S.K. Jain, chairman of the energy major, told IANS in an interview.

In the short term, Jain said he was looking forward to necessary approvals for the fifth and the sixth units of the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station so that they can start functioning by January next year.

“I am hoping that if I get clearance from the International Atomic Energy Agency this month, then the fifth unit in Rajasthan will start operating at 100 percent power by early November and the sixth by January,” he added.

Both the units will come under the agency’s India-specific safeguards that will allow it to qualify for imported fuel. Besides, the indigenously developed prototype fast breeder reactor, under a three-phase project, is also under construction.

The government recently approved 15 new atomic energy plants at eight sites, which include four allocated for French, American and Russian companies.

These sites are Kumharia in Haryana, Kakrapar and Chchaya in Gujarat, Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh, Haripur in West Bengal, Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu and Jaitapur in Maharashtra.

These units will account for an additional generation of over 50,000 MW of power and add to the current installed capacity is 4,120 MW from 17 plants, the official said.

While France’s Areva will build a 1,650-MW unit at Jaitapur, the Russians will get land in West Bengal for another project. Two American firms, General Electric and Westinghouse, are to be give land in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh.

During the interview, Jain ruled out majority foreign equity in nuclear plants in India and said the first phase of expansion after the India-US nuclear deal will be achieved by way of overseas collaborations with Indian public sector undertakings.

The Nuclear Power Corp recently signed agreements with three state-run companies, namely, the Indian Oil Corp, National Aluminium Co and NTPC, formerly called the National Thermal Power Corp.

Jain said two units at Kudankulam would be commissioned by next year, where the Russians were providing the technical cooperation. Work on the third and fourth units at Kudankulam, also with Russian help, is likely to start by year-end.

“We have got all the statutory clearances. After agreement at company level, it has to go to the cabinet. I hope that by the year end, the construction should start,” Jain said.

Two months later, Areva’s power plant in Maharashtra should also be able get the necessary approvals to start work on the ground, he added.

According to the company official, a major challenge has been cost-effective generation of power and the average tariff from nuclear plants, also called pooled tariff, was Rs. 2.28 per unit for the previous financial year.

“Kudankulam power cost will be very near the pooled tariff.”

Jain said his company was also sitting on a mound of cash. “We are now Rs.30,000 crore ($6 billion) cash-surplus. For 10,000 MW to 12,000 MW, I don’t need money from the government. I also enjoy a “Triple A” credit rating.”

The real challenge, he said, is of consistent fuel supply, ramping up the supply chain and human resources. “We are looking for long-term agreements on services for fuel fabrication. We are also looking at stakes in Uranium mines abroad.”

India’s Nuclear Power Corp targets 63,000 MW by 2032