India and France sign SMR and AMR partnership letter of intent

Wednesday, 12 February 2025

As well as the declaration of intent, the two renewed a memorandum of understanding between India's Department of Atomic Energy and the Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives of France (CAE) covering cooperation with the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, which is in Haryana state in India and which aims "to promote international collaboration in nuclear energy research and development, and capacity-building". It also covers cooperation with the Institute for Nuclear Science and Technology in France.

A joint statement issued after their talks said the two leaders "stressed that nuclear energy is an essential part of the energy mix for strengthening energy security and transitioning towards a low-carbon economy. Both leaders acknowledged the India-France civil nuclear ties and efforts in cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, notably in relation with the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant Project. They welcomed the first meeting of the Special Task Force on Civil Nuclear Energy, and welcomed the signing of a letter of intent on Small Modular Reactor (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactor (AMR) and the Implementing Agreement between India’s GCNEP, DAE and France’s INSTN, CEA for cooperation in training and education of nuclear professionals".

The Jaitapur project is proposed to be a six EPR-unit plant at the site in the state of Maharashtra. With an installed capacity of 9.6 GWe, it would be the most powerful nuclear power plant in the world, generating some 75 TWh per year, meeting the annual consumption needs of 70 million Indian households and avoiding the emission of an estimated 80 million tonnes of CO2 per year. A cooperation agreement was signed in 2023 for France's EDF and India's BHEL to "also explore larger collaboration for the EPRs" and for EDF's Nuward small modular reactor.

India aims to develop at least 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047 for its energy transition efforts and has committed to partner with the private sector on the development of the Bharat Small Modular Reactor - a compact 220 MW pressurised heavy water reactor based on India's reactor technology. Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman also promised amendments to the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act to open up possibilities for private sector participation in India's commercial nuclear industry.

Busy itinerary
 

During his visit to France Modi also met new US Vice President JD Vance, with the White House saying they "discussed topics of mutual interest, including how the United States can assist India in diversifying its energy sourcing through investments in clean, reliable US nuclear technology".

Before the Indian Prime Minister left France on Wednesday, his office said he also became the first foreign head of state to visit the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) site in southern France. India is one of the six countries - plus the 27-member European Union - collaborating on the project. There are around 200 scientists and associates from India involved as well as a number of Indian companies.

ITER is a major international project to build a tokamak fusion device designed to prove the feasibility of fusion as a large-scale and carbon-free source of energy. The goal of ITER is to operate at 500 MW (for at least 400 seconds continuously) with 50 MW of plasma heating power input. It appears that an additional 300 MW of electricity input may be required in operation. No electricity will be generated at ITER, and as well as what will be learned when it begins operations, as a first-of-a-kind project it is providing lessons and benefits for the international fusion industry throughout its construction.