Created by A.I
The US government is in the process of lifting restrictions on Indian nuclear entities, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Monday, in a bid to deepen energy ties and strengthen a landmark 20-year-old nuclear deal, Reuters reported.
The US and Indian governments have been discussing the supply of US nuclear reactors to power-hungry India since the mid-2000s, and a 2007 agreement signed by President George W. Bush allowed the United States to sell civilian nuclear technology to India.
But a longstanding stumbling block has been the need to bring India’s liability rules in line with global standards that require the costs of any accident to be directed to the operator rather than the builder of the nuclear power plant.
“The United States is now working to complete the necessary steps to remove the old rules that have prevented civil nuclear cooperation between India’s leading nuclear entities and US companies,” Sullivan said at an event in New Delhi on the second day of his two-day visit there.
“The formalities will be completed soon, but this will be an opportunity to turn the page on some of the past disputes and create opportunities for entities that were on US blacklists to get off those lists,” an Indian official told Reuters.
The US has imposed restrictions on more than 200 Indian entities after India tested nuclear weapons in 1998, but many of them have been removed from the list over the years as bilateral relations have evolved.
The US Commerce Department’s list currently includes at least four entities under India’s Department of Atomic Energy, as well as some Indian nuclear reactors and nuclear power plants.
India’s nuclear industry plays a significant role in electricity generation, although it constitutes a relatively small part of the country’s overall energy mix. According to the latest data, nuclear power contributes about 3.1% of India’s total electricity generation.
India has 24 operating nuclear reactors across eight nuclear power plants, providing an installed capacity of 8,180 megawatts.
Another 11 reactors are under construction, adding an additional 8,700 MW of capacity, with the government aiming to increase this share to 9-10% by expanding nuclear power capacity, with a focus on domestic development and international cooperation.
The Indian government has ambitious plans to expand nuclear power, with targets to significantly increase installed nuclear capacity by 2031, including building new reactors, including pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs) and light water reactors (LWRs) in collaboration with countries such as Russia.
The goal is to double nuclear power generation capacity by 2050 to achieve net-zero emissions targets.
India has made significant strides in developing its own nuclear technologies, particularly high-pressure pressurized water reactors, which are a key component of its energy strategy due to the country’s thorium reserves.
India is also focusing on small modular reactors and advanced reactors for various applications, including hydrogen generation and water desalination.
Discover more from Daily NEWS Global 24/7
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
