• Investment World
• eWorld
• Brand Line
• Mentor
• Life
• Brand Quest
• The New Manager
• Smartbuy

Stocks

• Quotes
• SE Diary
• Scoreboard
• Open-End Mutual Fund

Cross Currency

• Rates
  
  

Shipping

• Ports
  
  

Archives

• Yesterday
• Datewise
• Resources
• In Focus
• In Depth
• Events 2007

Group Sites

• The Hindu
• The Hindu ePaper
• Business Line
• Business Line ePaper
• Sportstar
• Frontline
• The Hindu eBooks
• The Hindu Images

Anil Sasi

New Delhi, July 27 India’s entry into the global civilian nuclear fraternity may not be a one-way street in terms of technology flows and business opportunities.

India, which has established global leadership in research involving Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR), Fast Breeder Reactors and thorium cycle, hopes to leverage its edge in these areas to tap the export potential as and when the global markets open up.

Even as the Indo-US nuclear deal is being firmed up, India is exploring the possibility of exporting indigenous 220-MWe reactor to developing nations eyeing nuclear power generation but constrained by small-sized electricity grids. Besides, French and US firms are evincing interest for industrial cooperation in the manufacture of Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) equipment as well as deployment of thorium technology.

According to Government officials, discussions have already been initiated with French firms for industrial cooperation in the manufacture of PWR equipment in India. This is envisaged as an important element in enhancing the competitiveness of French reactors worldwide. Besides, companies such as US-based Thorium Power are eyeing India’s R&D edge in the area of thorium research.

“We have been involved in India for many years and are looking at partnering strategies in both the government and private sectors, which will enable us to pursue a number of licensing opportunities… Should the India-US deal be completed, it will also enable us to generate licence-driven revenue within India as well as from international nuclear vendors,” Thorium Power’s President and CEO Mr Seth Grae told Business Line.

Besides, the deal could clear the decks for India to enter the global nuclear trade, following which the export of indigenous reactors and services could be viewed as a viable commercial proposition, an official said. Several Asean countries have been eyeing the nuclear option, with Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand among those that have announced plans to tap nuclear energy.

Globally, the major developers of nuclear reactors in the EU and North America have moved on to larger reactor sizes of 700 MWe or 1,000 MWe and above. India stands out in having an active nuclear power programme using 220 MWe reactors, with 12 such reactors currently in operation and another three under construction.

India’s research prowess is clearly evident from the number of its scientific publications covering PHWRs, accounting for nearly 55 per cent of the publications in 2006 (the latest year for which data is available). Canada comes in at a distant second.

In the case of publications for Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) and thorium cycle research as well, India has a clear leadership position. In the area of FBRs, the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research brought out the largest number of publications by any single institution during 2005 and 2006.

In the area of thorium research, on the basis of International Nuclear Information System (INIS) database, India stands at the top, ahead of Japan, France, Germany and the US.

More Stories on : Power | Science & Technology

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
‘Low’ sparks rain in Karnataka, Maharashtra

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line