India and France on Friday reviewed cooperation on the proposed deployment of European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) technology in India, with discussions also covering localisation of the nuclear supply chain and pumped hydro storage projects, the government said.Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal met Bernard Fontana, chairman and CEO of French energy major EDF, in New Delhi to review the ongoing engagement between India and EDF, according to a government press release.
Officials from the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Central Electricity Authority, NTPC, and NPCIL attended the meeting, along with representatives of EDF and the French Embassy in India.
Focus on nuclear localisation
EDF briefed the Indian side on its efforts to develop an ecosystem and supply chain in India to support large-scale localisation, the government said.
The French company reiterated that a sizeable programme involving multiple nuclear reactors would give suppliers greater certainty and enable economies of scale by leveraging the capabilities of Indian industry.The discussions also covered India’s regulatory reforms for the nuclear power sector.
Agarwal briefed the French side on progress in finalising the regulatory framework, including the draft SHANTI (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India) Rules and Regulations released by the Department of Atomic Energy for stakeholder consultation.
The proposed rules provide for a streamlined, time-bound licensing framework and allow private and foreign partners to participate in India’s nuclear power programme, according to the power ministry.
NTPC-EDF pumped storage plan
India and France also discussed cooperation in pumped hydro storage, building on the proposed NTPC-EDF joint venture in the segment.The government noted that the discussions are part of the broader India-France engagement on energy cooperation, with the two sides exploring nuclear power generation and energy storage infrastructure to support the country’s evolving power requirements.
