India chooses AREVA as its first foreign uranium supplier

AREVA signed yesterday the first foreign uranium supply since the reopenning in September of nuclear businesses between India and the rest of the world. This contract paves the way for a Franco-Indian partnership in the field of civil nuclear electricity generation.

The agreement, signed at a ceremony held in Mumbai, includes a commitment from AREVA to the Indian Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) to supply 300 tons of uranium to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) to supply its reactors under the International Energy Atomic Agency control (IAEA). The contract comes notably in the wake of the bilateral agreement made at the France-India summit of September 30, for cooperation in developing peaceful nuclear energy applications.

The much-needed fuel will supplement the shortages in domestic reserves for use in India's nuclear plant fleet, currently not running at under full capacity. These 300 tons from AREVA represents more than a third of NPCIL total installed capacity. With its considerable energy needs, India plans to make quick strides in increasing the share of nuclear electricity in its energy mix. By 2020, the country's installed nuclear plant capacity could grow exponentially from 3 to 40 Gigawatts, taking nuclear from 3 to 20 per cent of all electricity generated.

Commenting on the new contract, Arthur de Montalembert, President of AREVA India, said: "AREVA has won India's trust for this first ever foreign fuel supply signed since the September 2008 agreement," describing it as "a turning point in the deployment of its ambitious energy program; India has taken the considered decision to give nuclear prominence in its energy mix as a means of meeting its energy needs. And AREVA is ready to put its expertise at the service of this challenge." 

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With manufacturing facilities in 43 countries and a sales network in more than 100 countries, AREVA offers customers reliable technological solutions for CO2-free power generation and electricity transmission and distribution. We are the world leader in nuclear power and the only company to cover all industrial activities in this field.

Our 71.000 employees are committed to continuous improvement on a daily basis, making sustainable development the focal point of the group’s industrial strategy. AREVA’s businesses help meet the 21st century’s greatest challenges: making energy available to all, protecting the planet, and acting responsibly towards future generations. http://www.areva.com/

Besides AREVA India, AREVA also has a presence in India through its T&D India subsidiary, which is the biggest local entity on the electricity transportation and distribution market. Its Indian activities also include biomass energy, with AREVA Bioenergies. The group employs more than 3800 people in India and has eight industrial sites.