Indo-US project on modular nuclear reactors in competition with Russia's
New Delhi, June 26
The Indo-US alliance in cutting-edge technology will pose a direct competition to Russian plans to develop small nuclear plants, which it had planned to sell to India as well as customers in West Asia.
N-powered technology
- Russian recently decided to develop small nuclear plants for foreign markets, including India
- Last week, India and US also agreed to work on this technology, posing competition to Moscow
“They (US President Joe Biden and PM Narendra Modi) also noted the ongoing discussion on developing next-generation small modular reactor technologies in a collaborative mode for the domestic market as well as for export,” stated the joint statement issued after the Modi-Biden meeting in Washington last week.
Small modular reactor technologies are the latest buzzword in the field of nuclear-powered technology. They are both land-based as well as of floating types. However, it remains to be seen where the discussions will lead to since a much bigger US plan to set up six nuclear power reactors in Andhra Pradesh is yet to make headway.
A week before the two leaders discussed this technology, the Russian Atomi? Energy Corporation (Rosatom) announced a joint venture with the TSS Group for creating an energy fleet for foreign markets based on floating power units. These reactors will be not less than 100 mw and have a life of 60 years.
Rosatom is considering West Asia, Southeast Asia and Africa as target markets. The Russians have a head start in floating reactors as the first one was commissioned in 2019, according to a company statement. Small modular reactors are said to be effective in supplying power to remote areas, large investment mining projects and energy-consuming industrial facilities.
