U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirm their commitment to nuclear power as Kovvada plans intensify. The two leaders said that nuclear energy is a necessary resource for meeting climate, energy transition and energy security needs. They also mentioned “ongoing negotiations” for the construction of six AP1000 reactors in India. In addition, they discussed small modular reactor (SMR) development.
Biden’s and Modi’s comments were made in a wide ranging joint statement issued during Modi’s visit to the U.S. this week. In the comments, they emphasized “the important role nuclear energy plays in global decarbonization efforts and affirmed nuclear energy as a necessary resource to meet our nations’ climate, energy transition, and energy security needs”.
The two leaders mentioned “ongoing negotiations between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC) for the construction of six nuclear reactors in India” and “welcomed intensified consultations between the US DOE (Department of Energy) and India's DAE (Department of Atomic Energy) for facilitating opportunities for WEC to develop a techno-commercial offer for the Kovvada nuclear project”.
They also said that “the ongoing discussion on developing next generation small modular reactor technologies in a collaborative mode for the domestic market as well as for export”. SMRs are not currently mentioned in India’s formal nuclear energy plans. However, the government’s NITI Aayog policy think-tank has said that the government should consider including SMRs in the energy plans.
India and the U.S. signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement (also known as a 123 agreement) in 2008. This followed India reaching a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agreement. India is not a signatory of the international Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). Kovvada, in Andhra Pradesh, was selected for the construction of six AP1000 pressurized water reactors as long ago as 2016. However, contractual arrangements have yet to be finalized.
In the joint statement, the U.S. also reaffirmed its support for India’s membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and said that it would “continue engagement with likeminded partners to advance this goal”. The NSG is a group of nuclear supplier countries that contributes to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. It accomplishes this by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that could possibly be used in their manufacture. In 2016, India formally applied to join the NSG. However, to date the group has not reached a consensus on India’s proposed membership.
India’s twenty-two nuclear power plants currently generate about three percent of India’s electricity needs. The country has confirmed plans for twenty-one new reactors. This includes eight reactors that are under construction and one reactor which has been grid-connected but is not yet in commercial operation. Most of India’s operating, and planned, reactors are indigenously designed pressurized heavy water reactors. However, two Russian-designed VVER pressurized water reactors are in operation in Kudankulam. Four more reactors are under construction. The French company EDF submitted a techno-commercial offer to build six EPRs at Jaitapur in Maharashtra to NOPCIL in 2021.