Modi, Macron join hands for world’s largest nuclear plant

The leaders of France and India reiterated their intention to start work by the end of this year on what could become the world’s largest nuclear power plant.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who is on a four-day visit to India, and PM Modi urged Electricite de France (EDF) SA and Nuclear Power Corp, India’s atomic power producer to accelerate discussions on the project that has continued for a decade now already. Work on the project is likely to start by December at the site in Jaitapur, Maharashtra.

“Once installed, the Jaitapur project will be the largest nuclear power plant in the world, with a total capacity of 9.6 gigawatts,” according to a joint statement issued Saturday by the governments during Macron’s visit to India.

In the statement, the two leaders also “welcomed the understanding shared by the two parties on the enforcement of India’s rules and regulations on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages

applicable to the Jaitapur project.”

French state-run reactor maker Areva SA signed an initial agreement in 2009 with Nuclear Power for the Jaitapur project following a civil nuclear cooperation accord between the governments. After Areva’s restructuring, EDF in 2016 signed an initial pact with the Indian atomic energy producer to supply six reactors at Jaitapur, a small town on India’s western coast known for its mango and coconut orchards.

EDF will undertake all the studies and component purchases for the first two reactors. For the remaining four, some of those activities could be assigned to local companies, according to an emailed statement from the French supplier.

India’s nuclear power capacity is about 6.8 gigawatts, barely 2 percent of the country’s total generation capacity.