Japanese Restrictions Could Threaten French Reactor Sale to India from GSN Daily News

Japanese restrictions on atomic trade with India could complicate plans for France to construct a new atomic power facility in the South Asian state, the head of the French nuclear firm Areva said yesterday (see GSN, March 13, 2008).
The company's design for the planned two-reactor atomic plant at Jaitapur calls for the use of "extra large forgings" available only from Japan, the Times of India quoted a diplomatic source as saying.
Areva chief operating officer Luc Orsel said the firm could find ways around the complication. However, he still urged India to conclude "a bilateral agreement" with Japan on civilian nuclear trade (see GSN, Nov. 15, 2010)
New Delhi and Tokyo have conducted multiple rounds of talks on a potential atomic trade deal. Japan, though, is said to have mandated Indian nonproliferation assurances considered more substantive than what the nuclear-armed South Asian nation accepted in its 2008 atomic trade deal with the United States. Tokyo wants India to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, according to previous reports.
Japan has also called on New Delhi to join the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, according to the Times (Ashis Ray, Times of India, Jan. 12).

India nuclear plant with French reactors gets green go-ahead

http://www.nuclearpowerdaily.com/reports/India_nuclear_plant_with_French_reactors_gets_green_go-ahead_999.html

New Delhi (AFP) Nov 28, 2010 India on Sunday gave environmental clearance for a nuclear power plant to be built in collaboration with French firm Areva, days ahead of President Nicolas Sarkozy's scheduled visit to New Delhi. Environment minister Jairam Ramesh said the go-ahead for the Jaitapur plant in Maharashtra state, which will use nuclear reactors supplied by Areva, was granted with 35 conditions and safeguards.
"From an environmental point of view, nuclear energy is a cleaner option than coal," Ramesh said in a press release, adding that he has called for further studies into the power station's potential environmental impact.
A 34-year-old embargo on civilian nuclear exchanges with India, imposed in 1974 following a series of Indian nuclear tests, was lifted in 2008 after years of negotiations between India and the United States.
France has since signed an agreement with India covering nuclear energy cooperation, while Russia has also signed a similar accord.
The power station will be situated in the coastal region of Maharashtra, home to India's financial capital of Mumbai, and has faced protests from locals and anti-nuclear activists.
Ramesh said nuclear energy accounted for about 2.9 percent of India's energy generation, and the government wanted to increase the figure to six percent by 2020 and possibly 13 percent by 2030.
Some local media reported that Areva and the Indian state-run Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) would sign the agreement during Sarkozy's trip to Delhi.
The French president's itinerary has yet to be confirmed but he is expected to arrive in India at the end of next week.
The NPC predicts the first reactor, costing an estimated four to six billion euros (5.3-7.9 billion dollars) will be commissioned in 2017-18.
The proposed project will eventually have six reactors generating 1,650 megawatts each. It has several more government regulatory hurdles to overcome before being given the final go-ahead.
India is dependent on oil imports for 70 percent of its fast-expanding energy needs, and is on the hunt for new sources to fuel its rapid growth.

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