Saturday, Apr 01, 2006
International
60 tonnes of Russian fuel for Tarapur reactor http://www.hindu.com/2006/04/01/stories/2006040118861400.htm
Vladimir Radyuhin
Fuel delivery "being made under safety exception clause of the NSG guidelines"
Russian atomic energy agency chief to visit India early next month and review progress in Kudankulam
Russia has committed itself to lifelong supply of nuclear fuel for Kudankulam reactors
MOSCOW: Russia will supply 60 tonnes of nuclear fuel for the two reactors at the Tarapur Atomic Power Station, a spokesman for the Russian atomic agency confirmed.
"We are supplying up to 60 tonnes of Uranium 135 enriched to up to 3 percent for Tarapur-1 and Tarapur-2 reactors," Sergei Novikov, spokesman for Russia's Rosatom atomic energy agency, told The Hindu .
He deemed it necessary to specify the amount following reports that Russia had supplied "about 50 tonnes" of fuel to Tarapur.
Safety hazard risk
The spokesman reiterated that the fuel delivery was being made under the safety exception clause of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) guidelines, which otherwise ban nuclear supplies to India.
"It is essential to replace the fuel Russia supplied to Tarapur in 2001," Mr. Novikov said. "Further burning of the old fuel will result in a safety hazard."
After Russia informed the NSG members of its decision to supply nuclear fuel to India, Washington voiced objections because New Delhi had not yet fulfilled its commitments under the nuclear deal it signed recently with the U.S. Five years ago, the U.S. also opposed fuel supplies by Russia.
Russia's decision to send the fuel despite U.S. objections underpins Indo-Russian strategic relationship and testifies to Moscow's strong desire to sustain and expand nuclear energy cooperation with India.
Rosatom chief Sergei Kiriyenko will visit India early next month to review progress in the construction of two Russian reactors at Kudankulam, which are to go critical in 2007 and 2008, and discuss further bilateral cooperation.
On April 7-8 Mr. Kiriyenko will inspect the construction site at the Kudankulam Atomic Power Station jointly with Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Anil Kakodkar, the Rosatom spokesman said.
4 more reactors planned
Russia has committed itself to lifelong supply of nuclear fuel for the Kudankulam reactors and evinced interest in setting up four more 1000-MW light water reactors at the power plant.
Copyright © 2006, The Hindu.