The Hindu Business Line : CANDU’s vendor eyes Indian nuclear market

Changed scenario
The Canadian firm is now keen on exploring service assignments on India’s installed heavy water reactor capacity and possibly even new reactor sales.

Anil Sasi

New Delhi, Nov. 17 Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd — the Canadian state-owned corporation which is the vendor for the ‘CANDU’ technology — is planning to re-enter the Indian market after a 34-years hiatus.

AECL’s CANDU technology forms the model for most of the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) operating in India. The Canadian firm is now keen on exploring service assignments on India’s installed heavy water reactor capacity and possibly even new reactor sales.

An AECL delegation, led by its Chief Executive, Mr Hugh MacDiarmid, met senior officials from the Department of Atomic Energy and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd late last week. AECL is interested in getting service work on the country’s heavy-water reactors, and potentially even the sale of new reactors, a Government source said.

He said that the Canadians have proposed that they can offer Indian heavy-water reactor technology “significant upgrades”, including life-extensions and efficiency improvement packages.

The Canadian Government is currently negotiating a nuclear co-operation agreement with India that would allow AECL to re-establish business ties.

In addition to AECL, other Canadian nuclear players are eager to see the Indian market open up. Cameco Corporation, the uranium major that has been prevented from selling fuel to India, is among those waiting in the wings. India and Canada have had “informal” discussions last month and expect to schedule formal sessions soon, sources said.

AECL manages Canada’s nuclear energy research and development programme, including advancement and support of ‘CANDU’ reactor technology developed in the 1950s. It had marked an exit from the Indian market after the Canadian Government cut off exchange of nuclear materials and technology with the country in the wake of the Pokhran-I nuclear test in 1974.

The US signed a nuclear cooperation deal with India on October 10, ending India’s three-decade isolation and allowing US companies such as General Electric and Westinghouse to sell atomic reactors and fuel here.