Of every citizen: PM French nuke firm joins ‘Make In India’, expected to reduce Jaitapur plant costs

NEW DELHI: French nuclear major Areva on Friday joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India initiative, which is expected to bring down the cost of the proposed nuclear power projects in Jaitapur.

But the commercial agreement for the project is still some distance away.

The Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project is a proposed 9,900 MW power project consisting 6 European Pressurised Reactors.

An agreement between L&T, an Indian firm which is also working in the nuclear sector and Areva, meant the French firm has agreed to enter the Make in India initiative in the nuclear sector. This is important as it is aimed at cost reduction by increasing localisation to improve the financial viability of Jaitapur project. It will also enable transfer of technology and development of indigenous nuclear energy industry in India.

A pre-engineering agreement was also signed between Areva and Nuclear Power Corporation of India.

Its intention was to bring clarity on all technical aspects of the plant so that all stakeholders can firm up their price and settle related matters before entering a commercial pact.

The India-France agreement on Civil Nuclear Cooperation was signed between India and France on September 30, 2008 during former PM Manmohan Singh’s visit to France. During the visit of President Nicolas Sarkozy to in 2010, the General Framework Agreement and the Early Works Agreement between NPCIL and Areva for Jaitapur were signed.