US nuclear power reactors may come up in AP, Gujarat

Mumbai, Jul 17 (PTI) The nuclear power plants to generate
up to 20,000 MW, which are to be bulit by two US energy
majors, are likely to be set up in southern coastal state of
Andhra Pradesh and western state of Gujarat.

However, a formal announcement in this regard is likely
during US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to India,
beginning Friday night.

"We expect a formal announcement from the Indian
government on the issue during Clinton's visit as part of the
operationalisation of Indo-US civil nuclear deal," US business
sources said.

The plants are to be set up by US energy General Electric
and Westinghouse.

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), the
utility company of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) have
zeroed in on coastal Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat as potential
sites for the US reactors.

The nuclear plants to be set up over a period of time at
the two sites will have generation capacity upto 10,000 MW
each.

Both General Electric and Westinghouse have collaboration
with Japanese firms Hitachi and Toshiba respectively.

US itself has not built any reactor for the last three
decades and it also wants India to adhere to the Convention on
Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damages to provide
liability protection to US companies.

Dr M R Srinivasan, Member Atomic Energy Commission, told
PTI that "it is important for India to have a legislation on
liability protection and we are trying to find a slot in the
parliamentary proceedings as it is kept on top in the priority
list."

Srinivasan said India has moved forward in its commitment
to International Atomic Agency (IAA) under the India-specific
Safeguards Agreement and formalities and modalities of placing
Rajasthan Atomic Power Stations (RAPS) Units 5 and 6 are being
carried with the agency and is expected to finish as per
schedule by 2009 end.

Asked if there was US pressure on signing of Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
(CTBT) and Fissile Material Cut off Treaty (FMCT), Srinivasan
said, "The issue of signing NPT and CTBT does not arise as
they are discriminatory and India has maintained it all
along."

"India can hardly afford to embrace these treaties as the
country has to preserve and protect its minimum deterrent
against real and immediate threats," Other nuclear scientists,
opposing the NPT, CTBT and FMCT, said. PTI LV
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