Russia: 10 nuclear reactors for India

30.01.2007 // RIA Novosti

The agreement on the construction of 4 nuclear reactors in India is a serious victory for this segment of the world market

However, Vice Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov believes that this project may grow to 10 units in the future – everything will depend on India’s relations with the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

This project is certainly a crucial event for Russia. The country’s power industry has got a very big contract abroad. New energy capacities will certainly boost India’s economy. In fact, this is a project of global significance: it proves that the world nuclear power engineering is actually reviving.

What units is Russia going to build in India? The question is about VVER-1000 (1000 MW) – a type of reactor based on the most advanced technologies. There are 52 such reactors in the world, of them 14 in Russia. Their total service period is over 1,000 reactor/years. Generally such reactors are build in couples: which makes the projects much cheaper and profitable.

Independent specialists and IAEA experts say that Russian VVER-1000 is one of the safest reactors in the world. It is as safe as the reactors in Europe, the US and Japan but is much more effective than their foreign counterparts.

“Our countries have big experience in building power facilities in the territory of India,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a meeting with businessmen before his visit to Delhi. The Russian-Indian nuclear cooperation started in 70–80s of XX when the countries signed their first cooperation agreements: agreement on scientific-technical cooperation on peaceful use of nuclear energy (1979) and agreement on NPP construction in India (1988). In Nov 2001 the sides signed a memorandum on the building of Kudankulam NPP.

The first stone of the 1st unit of Kudankulam (Tirunelveli, state of Tamilnadu) was laid Mar 31 2002. The 1st unit is to be launched in late 2008, the 2nd one — in 2009. A total of $2.6bln will be invested in the project. The Russian Government has provided India with a long-term credit, which covers almost half of the cost.

In Dec 2004 Kudankulam passed its first acid test: it was ridden by a tsunami. The dam was partly washed out but stood fast. Besides, the plant has a natural protection against the sea, Sri Lanka island. The Russian project proved to be ready for the calamity. “I hope that we will be able to show even higher standards on the new Indian sites,” says the Chairman of the Sub-Committee on Nuclear Energy of the State Duma Committee on Energy, Transport and Communication Viktor Opekunov.