USIBC Applauds India’s Allotment of Nuclear Sites for U.S. Technology
WASHINGTON-(Business Wire)-September 30, 2009 - In a significant step toward implementing the U.S.-India civil nuclear initiative, the Government of India has officially designated two site locations for U.S. commercial nuclear technology. The Indian Cabinet reserved sites at Mithi Virdi in Gujarat and at Kovada in Andhra Pradesh to host the U.S. reactor parks.
Designation of the sites has been advocated by the U.S.-India Business Council, the Washington-based trade group that championed the successful U.S. initiative to end the global ban against commercial nuclear trade with India.
"Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat are both excellent locations,” said Ron Somers, USIBC President. “They have people who appreciate the benefits of reliable electricity supplies, and abundant human talent to erect and maintain these state-of-the-art facilities."
“We’re delighted to see the historic U.S.-India nuclear accord move into implementation,” said Ted Jones, Director for Energy, Environment and Enterprise at USIBC.
USIBC, in partnership with the Nuclear Energy Institute and the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. International Trade Administration, will lead an executive delegation of U.S. commercial nuclear companies to India in early December.
“Our commercial nuclear companies are eager to play a role in India’s sustainable development,” Jones added. “U.S. companies bring not just zero-carbon nuclear power, but the most advanced and safest nuclear reactors and reactor components in the world.”
U.S. firms have eagerly awaited the official designation of sites to U.S. companies, necessary in order for project development to proceed. In September of last year, the 45-Nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, with strong leadership from the U.S., amended its rules to permit India to engage in international trade in commercial nuclear equipment, fuel and technology. In the year since, India has moved forward with other nations, purchasing uranium from multiple countries and designating nuclear sites to Russia and France.
With the official designation of sites for U.S. technology, India is fulfilling its commitment to partner with U.S. companies in the forthcoming expansion of its nuclear generating capacity. According to India’s plans, each reactor park will ultimately host between six and eight reactors.
“The new plants are not the only opportunity for U.S. suppliers. More immediately, they will find opportunities in supplying fuel, components and services to India’s existing fleet of reactors,” said Jones. “During the December trade mission, we will meet with Indian policymakers and public-sector executives to identify these opportunities and work to enable our full participation in the Indian market.”
A few important steps still remain to enable full participation by the private sector. These include India’s bringing into force the India-specific IAEA safeguards agreement, a prerequisite for any international participation in India; and India’s adoption of a nuclear liability law, a prerequisite for participation by the private sector, including Indian private sector companies.
The private sector – including both U.S. and Indian companies – is hopeful that the Indian Government will soon approve a nuclear liability law consistent with the Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC), an IAEA-sponsored treaty to guarantee compensation in the event of an accident and share costs among international participants. Only with predictable liability risks, provided by the CSC, can private companies provide India the world’s newest, most efficient and safest technologies.
The U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC), formed in 1975 at the request of the Government of India and the U.S. Government to deepen trade and strengthen commercial ties, is hosted under the aegis of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.
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