Areva named for Indian uranium supply
Areva is to supply 300 tonnes of uranium per year to India, according to local media reports. Meanwhile it is to build steam generators at home.
Areva is to supply 300 tonnes of uranium per year to India, according to local media reports. Meanwhile it is to build steam generators at home.
A priority for India in coming months is to secure supplies of uranium for its existing reactors, which have historically had to operate below capacity due to inadequate domestic uranium supply.
Two weeks ago, a round of deals with Russia included one covering uranium supply to the two boiling water reactors at Tarapur. Now, the Economic Times reports that negotiations are complete for a deal with Areva for the supply of 300 tonnes of uranium per year, some 30% of the country's total requirements.
The newspaper cited Jairam Ramesh, minister of state for power and commerce, as saying that Nuclear Power Corporation of India's (NPCIL's) 17 power reactors would be able to operate at 100% power from June 2009, in part thanks to the Areva deal.
An Areva spokeswoman told World Nuclear News that the report could not be confirmed and that negotiations were still going on and are well advanced.
Steam generator deal
Meanwhile, Areva has announced that it will supply replacement parts for three reactors in France. A €200 million ($275 million) deal will see nine steam generators produced at Chalon/Saint Marcel for three of Electricité de France's (EdF’s) 900 MWe-class reactors.
Manufacturing on the first set of three steam generators is to start at Chalon/Saint Marcel in 2010 for delivery in December 2012. The second and third sets are to be delivered in 2014 and 2015 respectively. EdF could not reveal which of its 900 MWe-class reactors, which make up 34 of its 58-unit fleet, are involved in the deal.
EdF’s 900 MWe reactors began operation between 1973 and 1987 and are now beginning a program of long-term maintenance, having had their operating licenses extended by ten years after a 2002 review. Five of the units are to be uprated by 3% as the result of installing improved components like steam generators, steam turbines and generators.
