India nuclear news and discussion

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 17 Jan 2009 00:48

Just a few months back the Aussies were lecturing on what India should do and now that Kazakhstan is on the verge of getting all the business, he is rushing to India.

Vipul · Post by **Vipul** » 17 Jan 2009 00:52

GE-Hitachi eyes 9,000 MW nuclear capacity in India.

vsudhir · Post by **vsudhir** » 17 Jan 2009 07:22

'India will not sign CTBT even if US insists':Pranab

"We will not sign CTBT or NPT. We are committed to the bilateral agreement with the US and India-specific safeguards with the IAEA."

In response to a question related to remarks made by US Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton that the US may insist on reviving the CTBT, Mukherjee said that India will continue to maintain its independent foreign policy. Mukherjee’s remarks came just ahead of the inauguration of the new US President Barack Obama on January 20. During her Senate confirmation hearing, Hillary had reportedly stressed that the US will make CTBT and Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) as the priority of the US administration.

Analysts believe that the Democrat regime under Barack Obama would strongly advocate a more hawkish approach on CTBT and New Delhi and Washington may cross swords over this.

Hopefully there won't be any confusion or flip-flops over this clear cut stand as was seen with the 26/11 response.

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 17 Jan 2009 07:30

vsudhir wrote:'India will not sign CTBT even if US insists':Pranab

Interesting that Pranab Da is doing so much of the talking. And that too so emphatically. Ont CTBT and on the issues dealing with the Mumbai attacks.

MMS has slide into the background? MMS made one statement - on no war, etc - and, since then has not been heard!

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 17 Jan 2009 09:25

NRao wrote:
vsudhir wrote:'India will not sign CTBT even if US insists':Pranab
Interesting that Pranab Da is doing so much of the talking. And that too so emphatically. Ont CTBT and on the issues dealing with the Mumbai attacks.

MMS has slide into the background? MMS made one statement - on no war, etc - and, since then has not been heard!

I am glad he did that for it allows all that India is doing. So please put on your thinking hat when you analyse the moves going on.

shynee · Post by **shynee** » 18 Jan 2009 05:17

France first to get piece of Indian N-pie

NEW DELHI: Stealing a march over US, Russia and UK, France will take the first bite of the lucrative Indian nuclear pie. Over the next few

months, France will deliver 300 tonnes of enriched uranium to India, and by the end of this year will have a contract for six nuclear reactors.

After meeting PM Manmohan Singh and national security adviser MK Narayanan, Jean-David Levitte, diplomatic adviser to French president Nicholas Sarkozy, told journalists on Saturday that France was on track to translate the Indo-French nuclear agreement into action. Areva, which has been selected as one of the top vendors of reactors and technology by the Nuclear Power Corporation (NPCIL), will be able to generate electricity from these reactors within eight years.

In a way, the French scored a significant diplomatic victory. This one week is peppered with nuclear business delegations from US and UK crisscrossing India to tie up a variety of deals with the Indian government or with private sector players for the ancillary market.

On Friday, US nuclear company Westinghouse and India's Larsen & Toubro signed on the dotted line to set up a joint venture to build nuclear reactors in India. But while that will have to wait for India to make the necessary legal and regulatory changes to allow the private sector into the game, France is dealing directly with the government entity, as does Russia.

On Monday, British secretary Lord Peter Mandelson arrives with a nuclear business delegation, including companies like AMEC and Rolls Royce, all of whom want a part of the Indian nuclear energy industry.

India still needs to sign the safeguards agreement with the IAEA and a law to give liability protection to companies investing in this sector. Before the IAEA agreement, India will have to iron out several left-over issues with, among others, Canada to bring the older reactors under the new umbrella agreement.

Internally, India will also need to amend its Atomic Energy Act to bring private sector into this industry. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is still severely opposed to this, but it's expected that industry pressure and the fact that DAE is quite unequipped to handle the avalanche of demands of the civilian sector might tip the scales sooner rather than later. This will delay the entry of US companies in this sector. The new Obama administration will also have to sign a nuclear information sharing agreement for these companies to work in India.

Until then, the French plan on getting a firm toehold in this sector, citing a decade-long relationshwip with NPCIL and a first-mover advantage.

Levitte's conversations with the Indian leadership included talks on defence acquisitions. France is offering to build with Indian companies the engines for the light combat aircraft (LCA).

Thus far, the Indian plan is for reactor contracts to go to Westinghouse, GE Hitachi, France's Areva group, and Russia's Atomstroyexport.

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 18 Jan 2009 07:50

ramana wrote:That national recognition to Sri SK..Sikka could be acknowledgement that issues have been settled with his work.

This is not the pre-POK-II time of Prime Minister Gujral or Prime Minister Narasimha Rao's time when India was still chained in chastity vest, when message was sent by honoring a member of nuclear scientific community (The famous PM's quote of covertly declaring potency by inviting people to son's naam-karan ceremony). Specially after US-India Civilan Nuclear Deal, IAEA and NSG acknowledgment of Indian nuclear weapons program. India has to behave like NWS and require OVERT assertion of its military nuclear program.

What India and its brotherly neighbors need is OVERT scientific evidence of "issues have been settled with previous work" of Shri SK Sikka.

National recognition to Sri SK..Sikka is welcome. But not meaningful w.r.t. credible Indian nuclear deterrence. With stakes that high the proof of credibility also a higher bar. There still is no evidence of independent parallel teams (with no conflict of interest issues) to keep the system truthful, and to ensure India is not in same state as the day before POK-II when nuclear scientific communities' confidence was very high, but the little dust raised by POK-II showed S1 was "Khota Sikka" {Hindi term for "counterfeit coin"}and punctured the balloon of BARC's confidence and put India in a quagmire.

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The beholder is this case is "Indian Army/Navy/AirForce", China and other nuclear weapon states.

I welcome national recognition to S.K.Sikka.

ShauryaT · Post by **ShauryaT** » 18 Jan 2009 11:06

Arun_S: Can you ping me with your email at-----------------

[Done and masked your handle -Arun_S]

John Snow · Post by **John Snow** » 18 Jan 2009 11:34

Gerard wrote:India requires Rs.1.5 lakh crore for meeting nuclear power targets

Give Satyam's raju a chance and he will get the money in a jiffy!

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 18 Jan 2009 20:30

There still is no evidence of independent parallel teams (with no conflict of interest issues) to keep the system truthful

While the US has competing design teams, other nations like China and France maintain one weapons design organization.

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 18 Jan 2009 20:35

UK, Canada eye India's nuclear business
Press Trust of India
Sunday, January 18, 2009, (New Delhi)

The race among countries for getting nuclear business in India is hotting up with delegations rushing here to discuss opportunities in this field.

While France has already walked away with a contract in the multi-billion dollar industry, high-level delegations from Britain and Canada will be here this week to interact with Indian side to explore possibilities for cooperation in the nuclear field.

The visits by the British and Canadian delegations come close on the heels of a similar trip by a team of the US nuclear industry here over a week back for a similar purpose.

The flurry of visits come more than three months after the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) granted waiver to India, ending its 34-year isolation and allowing it to have civil nuclear trade with the world.

A 20-member delegation, headed by British Secretary of State for Business and Enterprise Lord Peter Mandelson, will be here from Monday.

Mandelson and the delegation will also visit Mumbai and Pune.

The business delegation accompanying Mandelson will have executives from civil nuclear companies such as AMEC and Rolls Royce.

In Delhi, Mandelson will meet Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and some other ministers. He will also address the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit and attend a seminar with the accompanying UK nuclear delegation.

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 19 Jan 2009 00:07

Gerard wrote:
There still is no evidence of independent parallel teams (with no conflict of interest issues) to keep the system truthful
While the US has competing design teams, other nations like China and France maintain one weapons design organization.

Unlike India the US, China and France have proof tested their TN weapons many times. India is in a different and difficult situation, thus requires a different and specific medicine. No equal equal here because Indian capability and history is not equal to said nations.

Anujan · Post by **Anujan** » 19 Jan 2009 01:34

ramana wrote:That national recognition to Sri SK..Sikka could be acknowledgement that issues have been settled with his work.

The abilities of our team was questioned, their intention and patriotism was not. 8 years is a long time...long enough to fix past mistakes. But as Arun-saar put it, nothing will be known till we see the proof.

Kailash · Post by **Kailash** » 20 Jan 2009 03:27

Fast breeders coming up..
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstyp ... tid=109454

Don't know where else to post this.. but looks like basic science IS alive in India.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/00 ... 181511.htm

abhischekcc · Post by **abhischekcc** » 20 Jan 2009 14:11

Brahma Chellaney in a Reuters column:

Wonder how he got through all the abuse of MMS-GWB. Looks like his days are numbered in the agency.

George W. Bush and Manmohan Singh - nuclear soulmates?

Almost every paragraph in the prepared statement Singh read out at that press conference ended with a sappy tribute to Bush:

•"And the last four-and-a-half years that I have been prime minister, I have been the recipient of your generosity, your affection, your friendship. It means a lot to me and to the people of India."

•"And Mr. President, you have played a most-important role in making all this happen."

•"And when history is written, I think it will be recorded that President George W. Bush made an historic goal in bringing our two democracies closer to each other."

•"And when this restrictive regime ends, I think a great deal of credit will go to President Bush. And for this I am very grateful to you, Mr. President.”

•“So, Mr. President, this may be my last visit to you during your presidency, and let me say, Thank you very much. The people of India deeply love you.”

Referring to Singh’s expression of love for the much-despised Bush, Anand Giridharadas wrote in the New York Times, “Laura Bush is not alone, after all.” Perhaps the only thing Singh didn’t do at that event was to hand Bush, with tear-welled eyes, a rose.

While Bush was a catalyst in America’s declining global influence, Singh has served as a catalyst in undermining India’s inner strength to the extent that New Delhi today pursues a policy of propitiation toward China and a policy of empty rhetoric against Pakistan-fomented terrorism even as its internal security has come under siege.

When Bush could not have his way, he resorted to bullying and intimidation. Singh does it differently - he goes into a sulk, threatening to resign, as he did last summer until the Congress Party gave in to his wishes on the nuclear deal.

While Bush allowed his national-security agenda to be hijacked by neocons, the onetime-socialist Singh emerged as India’s chief neocon.

His two votes against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board, for example, cost India hundreds of millions of dollars as Tehran, in reprisal, reneged on the terms of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract, forcing New Delhi to buy LNG from other suppliers at a much higher price.

enqyoobuddin, this is for you.

Both Bush and Singh squandered taxpayer money. While the economic costs of the Bush-initiated wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have already totalled a staggering $1.6 trillion, with the Bush administration having awarded billions of dollars in no-bid reconstruction contracts to favoured companies that did little on the ground, Singh, as a “thank-you” to Bush for the nuclear deal, unveiled yet another purchase of obsolescent arms - eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft, in a $2.1 billion deal.

Read the whole damn article. Could have been written by a BRfite.

Nitesh · Post by **Nitesh** » 20 Jan 2009 22:52

Canada says plans India trade pact, nuclear deals

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 21 Jan 2009 01:19

abhischekcc wrote:Brahma Chellaney in a Reuters column:

Wonder how he got through all the abuse of MMS-GWB. Looks like his days are numbered in the agency.

George W. Bush and Manmohan Singh - nuclear soulmates?

Read the whole damn article. Could have been written by a BRfite.

Who?

abhischekcc · Post by **abhischekcc** » 21 Jan 2009 16:35

Arun_S wrote:
abhischekcc wrote:Brahma Chellaney in a Reuters column:

Wonder how he got through all the abuse of MMS-GWB. Looks like his days are numbered in the agency.

George W. Bush and Manmohan Singh - nuclear soulmates?

Read the whole damn article. Could have been written by a BRfite.
Who?

No, no. I said it could have been written by one of us jingoes, not that it was actually written by one.

Sanatanan · Post by **Sanatanan** » 21 Jan 2009 20:42

From DD News (21 January, 2009):
Test firing of BrahMos as successful though it failed to hit target: DRDO

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which had described Tuesday's test firing of BrahMos missile as successful on Wednesday backtracked saying it had faced problems and failed to hit the target.

There were small hitches in the last stage of the missile during the test, which was conducted in the Pokhran ranges of Rajasthan on a new version of BrahMos missile on Tuesday, DRDO officials said.

Scientists are looking into why the missile did not hit the target, they said.
The officials had yesterday said that the new version of the nuclear-capable BrahMos missile had been successfully test fired.

The missile, with a 290-km range and capable of touching a speed 2.8 times that of sound, was launched during the trial in its vertical mode, the officials said.

BrahMos is a missile that India is developing in collaboration with Russia and is named after the river Brahmaputra and Moscow.

During the visit of Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov to India late last year, an agreement was reached between the two countries for development of a hyper-sonic BrahMos missile, an improvement on the already-developed supersonic missile, termed as "the most advanced" in its category.(ST-21/01)

Wouldn't a range of only 290 Km for a Nuclear tipped missile be a bit too short, in the sense that a nuclear weapon deployed at such a short distance away may in fact be like cutting one's own nose to spite the enemy? Or, is 290-Km radius considered sufficiently large to ensure that the area of origin of the missile does not suffer any negative consequences due to the radioactive fall out caused by the nuclear explosion? (I realise that the above comment may not be applicable if the missile were to be fired from the sea - the ship/submarine that launched the missile would perhaps quickly move away from the scene before the radioactive clouds appeared.)

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 21 Jan 2009 20:50

:cough: :cough:

300 km is the upper limit by MTCR, i.e. between countries if there is missile knowledge transfer this is the maximum limit.

Hint: see the "actual size" of brahmos with respect to other cruise missiles.

P.S: why is this in the nuke thread instead of mizzile

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 21 Jan 2009 23:31

abhischekcc wrote:
Arun_S wrote: Who?
No, no. I said it could have been written by one of us jingoes, not that it was actually written by one.

The Dera(Camp) of BR jingoes is expanding to color Indian strategic community

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 21 Jan 2009 23:42

Sanatanan wrote:Wouldn't a range of only 290 Km for a Nuclear tipped missile be a bit too short, in the sense that a nuclear weapon deployed at such a short distance away may in fact be like cutting one's own nose to spite the enemy? Or, is 290-Km radius considered sufficiently large to ensure that the area of origin of the missile does not suffer any negative consequences due to the radioactive fall out caused by the nuclear explosion?

Could you google and advise us of the radius of dangereous radioactive fall out due to medium size 17kT warhead that brahMos is expected to carry?

I am sure you will see that the myth of large scale radioactive fall out is due to much higher yield device.

When nukes are used in anger one looks at enemy casualties. Unlike rest of the world Indian weather system has wind flow whose direction is largely very stable and taken into account when nuclear weapon is used. It is another matter that for 20kT size of such fallout is much smaller and resultant casualties very small. BTW the fallout radioactivity is short term in nature and abates rapidly. It is not as monstrous as the psy-ops wishes to make believe.

Virupaksha · Post by **Virupaksha** » 22 Jan 2009 00:15

These three links might help with it.

http://homepage.mac.com/msb/163x/faqs/n ... e_101.html
http://homepage.mac.com/msb/163x/faqs/n ... e_102.html
http://homepage.mac.com/msb/163x/faqs/n ... e_103.html

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 22 Jan 2009 05:30

India welcomes Canada's involvement in its nuclear expansion: minister

Sanatanan · Post by **Sanatanan** » 22 Jan 2009 10:24

ravi_ku, Arun_S:
Re post on "Test firing of BrahMos as successful though it failed to hit target", thx for the clarifications

ajay_ijn · Post by **ajay_ijn** » 22 Jan 2009 20:39

some news about industry tie-ups.
L&T and Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd (AECL) signs MOU for cooperation on Advanced CANDU Reactor

L&T and AECl want to develop a competitive cost model for the ACR 1000. Upon the completion of the model, L&T and AECL agree to begin discussions to develop nuclear power plants in India and utilise the capacity in global markets, said a company release.

Punj Lloyd-Thorium PowerJV

A month ago, Punj Llyod and Thorium Power had signed anagreement to float an equal joint venture, mainly to provide thorium fueltechnology for light water reactors (LWR) coming up in India.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 22 Jan 2009 21:32

When MMS was in AIIMS for angiogram, were the nuke succession plans invoked? Or was it considered not necessary as the armed forces wont be ready anyways? The SOP during NDA was to empower the def Minsiter as the chain of command was through him.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 23 Jan 2009 00:18

ramana wrote:When MMS was in AIIMS for angiogram, were the nuke succession plans invoked? Or was it considered not necessary as the armed forces wont be ready anyways? The SOP during NDA was to empower the def Minsiter as the chain of command was through him.

I thought I remember Advani being given the succession keys?

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 23 Jan 2009 05:08

India, Canada close to signing nuclear cooperation agreement

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 23 Jan 2009 05:13

No its PM->RM and on wards. DyPM has no role.
Please look it up.

Thanks, ramana

ShauryaT · Post by **ShauryaT** » 24 Jan 2009 01:53

ramana wrote:No its PM->RM and on wards. DyPM has no role.
Please look it up.

Thanks, ramana

Deputy PM is not even a constitutional position, it exits at the pleasure of the PM.

Sanatanan · Post by **Sanatanan** » 24 Jan 2009 18:37

Kakodkar Speak (from DD News, Saturday 24 January, 2009).

Achieve global leadership in areas of strength: Kakodkar

Stressing that India cannot survive global competition without achieving global leadership at least in those areas where Indians have strength, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar has asked students to focus on India rather than look towards the West.

"It is crucial to build technologies out of the knowledge pool available within the county and we cannot become a world leader unless we achieved global leadership at least in those areas where Indians have strength," Kakodakar said while addressing the 41st convocation of Utkal University in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

"The domestic linkage between high level of research activity and its conversion into new innovative technologies can be nurtured only on the basis of such an orientation, as otherwise there is a continuing possibility of Indian brains contributing to western technologies with attendant higher costs in accessing them for development," Kakodkar said.

"There was no doubt on the capabilities of Indians. India had been making important contributions to the global knowledge pool for ages. The process is continuing even today," he said.

"I often wonder why despite having capabilities for original thinking, we remain vulnerable to foreign dependencies," the eminent scientist said.(ST-24/01)

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 24 Jan 2009 22:45

As Indian PM has under gone hart surgery and in the hospital, who is in-charge of India's nuclear command?
What are the processes in place to pass on the required information and codes to his successor? Specially with
current standoff withe Pak since the Bombay tragedy?? As far as I know this is the first time since India has
openly declared itself as a nuclear power the PM of the country is incapacitated!

ShauryaT · Post by **ShauryaT** » 24 Jan 2009 23:50

VinodTK wrote:As Indian PM has under gone hart surgery and in the hospital, who is in-charge of India's nuclear command?
What are the processes in place to pass on the required information and codes to his successor? Specially with
current standoff withe Pak since the Bombay tragedy?? As far as I know this is the first time since India has
openly declared itself as a nuclear power the PM of the country is incapacitated!

It is not a clear cut and straight forward affair, from an institutional perspective. The Prime Minister would chair the political council of the nuclear command authority. If the prime minister is incapacitated, it is not clear, who will take the decision. (should be the RM - but it is not codified in the NCA)

In the present scenario, since the events were planned, the PM has asked Pranab Mukherjee to chair and hence it is presumed that Mukherjee is the guy, in this case. The late December NCA meeting may have been for this purpose.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 25 Jan 2009 01:40

Critics says Canada is enabling India's military nuclear program

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 25 Jan 2009 01:41

India Signs Uranium Mining, Supply Agreement With Kazakhstan

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 25 Jan 2009 01:41

Uranium mines in Meghalaya untapped

VinodTK · Post by **VinodTK** » 25 Jan 2009 02:41

India must think of testing
From: Deccan Chronicle

Checking the spread of nuclear weapons is the bedrock of American policy on international security, and the terms of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) constitute its theological underpinning. In spite of this, for wider strategic considerations which seemed to stem from a belief in India’s democratic credentials when the world appeared to be consumed by jihadi terrorism, President Bush permitted India the luxury of collaboration in the civilian nuclear field although India had exploded the nuclear device without being a NPT signatory.
When the matter was voted in the US Congress, the Democrats went along (Senator Obama had voted in favour), although many of them made a heck of a noise. But it is doubtful if such a move could have been initiated under a Democratic president. Bill Clinton had tried to strangle India’s nuclear ambition. In general, Democrats tend to be anti-proliferation hawks. They don’t see the hypocrisy of the position which allows the US and the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council to increase their nuclear weapon stockpiles — or at any rate not reduce them — while seeking to punish a country, even a democratic one, which may aspire to nuclear status.
The Obama administration is expected to work to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and revive negotiations on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. Its predecessor had refused to ratify CTBT and took little interest in FMCT negotiations. This gave India elbow room. But the situation is likely to change under President Obama, as Ms Hillary Clinton has suggested.
If the Democrats are serious, India might have to beat the ban and think of fresh testing in order to refine its stock of nuclear weapons. But so as not to endanger the US’ endorsement of civil nuclear cooperation, India will need to be practical and cite sufficient grounds for testing, drawing on the prevailing regional security environment.

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 25 Jan 2009 08:24

Wah wah, DAE/BARC does not even have lift a finger. Instead of making AHWR they can/will buy it from Canada. Recall that AHWR design is very very close to ACR1000 design. If one reviews material presented in international seminars DAE is using a design very similar to Candaian ACR1000 hardware (lot of research papers published by AECL) and adapting it to fuel cycle where lightly enriched fuel coming from Pu (instead of Uranium enrichment), and the flux flattening in the core is done by using fuel rods that had Throrium pencils to absorb excess flux and convert fertile Th into Fissile Pu233.

Imagine all talent of dedicated scientists in DAE/BARC who were only beign inspired by Candian ACR1000 design in realizing the AHWR design (that is still in safety review cycles per DAE)

Should l I laugh or cry?

L&T, AECL Sign MoU for Cooperation on Advanced Nuclear Reactors (ACR1000)

Dated 22/1/2009
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Canadian based Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for co-operation on Advanced CANDU Reactor ACR1000.

The Agreement was signed by Mr. M V Kotwal - Member of the Board & Senior Executive Vice President – Heavy Engineering of L&T and Mr. Hugh MacDiarmid President & Chief Executive Officer of AECL. This agreement is subject to final approval by the governments of India and Canada, of a bilateral Nuclear Co-operation Agreement between the two countries.

L&T has been playing a lead role in equipment manufacture, construction and project management for Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors in India’s domestic program while AECL has pioneered the Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) technology on four continents across the world. PHWR design is one of the most highly competitive nuclear technologies in the world with regard capital cost, safety & efficiency. The unique design allows refueling online which eliminates the periodic refueling outage required by other designs.

The ACR1000 is AECL’s generation III+ reactor design that utilizes the proven concepts of the Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor. L&T and AECL have joined hands to develop a competitive cost model for the ACR 1000. Upon completion of the indicative cost/scope model AECL and L&T agree to begin discussions to develop Nuclear Power Plants in India on EPC basis and utilize the collective expertise of the Parties in global markets.

L&T and AECL are optimistic that there will be a good demand for the ACR 1000. L&T intends to play a major role in the rapidly developing nuclear power sector by building strong partnerships with leading companies in the field.

Background:
L&T is a technology, manufacturing, engineering and construction company with global operations. It is characterized by strong customer orientation, professionalism, transparency and the demonstrated ability to meet global benchmarks. L&T has strong international linkages through technology partnerships and ongoing relationships with global suppliers, consultants and customers.

Atomic Energy of Canada Limited is a full service nuclear technology company providing services to nuclear utilities around the world. Established in 1952, AECL is the designer and builder of CANDU technology including the CANDU 6, one of the world's top-performing reactors. AECL's 5000 employees deliver cutting edge nuclear services, R&D support, design, and engineering, construction management, specialized technology, refurbishment, waste management and decommissioning in support of CANDU reactor products.

This is from AECL's website:
ACR-1000 (Advanced CANDU Reactor)

Two-unit ACR-1000 plantAECL is developing the Advanced CANDU Reactor® (ACR®) to meet customer requirements for the emerging nuclear market over the next 20 years of sales. The ACR-1000® is an evolutionary, Generation III+, 1200 MWe class heavy water reactor, designed to meet industry and public expectations for safe, reliable, environmentally friendly, low-cost nuclear generation. The ACR-1000 is designed for a 2016 in-service date, and have extensive pre-licensing review and feedback from Canadian regulators in Canada.

The Generation III+ ACR-1000 is aimed to meet more demanding requirements than existing CANDU reactors, particularly in regard to:

* Enhanced passive safety
* Competitive economics
* Designed for operability and maintainability

At the same time, the ACR-1000 is being developed as a logical evolutionary step from today’s CANDU technology, to take advantages of the benefits of this technology, in particular the success of AECL’s flagship CANDU 6 design.

With a 60-year design life, the ACR-1000 reactor core consists of fuel and light-water coolant in pressure tubes with a heavy water moderator. Evolved from the well-established CANDU line of reactors, the ACR-1000 benefits from valuable project-based experience in the design, construction and operation of CANDU plants for utilities around the globe. The ACR-1000 reactor enhances and retains the proven CANDU strengths:

* Modular, compact, horizontal fuel channel core
* Separate low temperature and pressure moderator
* Reactor vault filled with light water surrounding the core
* On-power refuelling
* Enhanced passive safety
* Two independent safety shutdown systems
* Increased coolant system and turbine pressure to increase the overall thermal efficiency of the power plant
* Reactor building access for on-power maintenance.

This from Wikipedia on Indian AHWR
Advanced Heavy Water Reactor

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) is the latest Indian design for a next generation nuclear reactor that will burn Thorium in its fuel core. It is slated to form the third stage in India's 3 stage fuel cycle plan.[1] Thorium is an element that is 3 times more abundant globally than uranium and can potentially deliver several orders of magnitude more energy than an equivalent mass of uranium.

The proposed design of the AHWR is that of a heavy water moderated nuclear power reactor that will be the next generation of the PHWR type. It is now being developed at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), in Mumbai, India and aims to meet the objectives of using thorium fuel cycles for commercial power generation. The AHWR is a vertical pressure tube type reactor cooled by boiling light water under natural circulation. A unique feature of this design is a large tank of water on top of the primary containment vessel, called the Gravity Driven Water Pool (GDWP). This reservoir is designed to perform several passive safety functions.

The reactor design incorporates advanced technologies, together with several proven positive features of Indian Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs). These features include pressure tube type design, low pressure moderator, on-power refueling, diverse fast acting shut-down systems, and availability of a large low temperature heat sink around the reactor core. The AHWR incorporates several passive safety features. These include: Core heat removal through natural circulation; direct injection of Emergency Core Coolant System (ECCS) water in fuel; and the availability of a large inventory of borated water in overhead Gravity Driven Water Pool (GDWP) to facilitate sustenance of core decay heat removal. The Emergency Core Cooling System (ECCS) injection and containment cooling can act (SCRAM) without invoking any active systems or operator action.

The reactor physics design is tuned to maximise the use of thorium based fuel, by achieving a slightly negative void coefficient. Fulfilling these requirements has been possible through the use of PuO2-ThO2 MOX, and ThO2-233UO2 MOX in different pins of the same fuel cluster, and the use of a heterogeneous moderator consisting of amorphous carbon (in the fuel bundles) and heavy water in 80%-20% volume ratio. The core configuration lends itself to considerable flexibility and several feasible solutions, including those not requiring the use of amorphous carbon based reflectors, are possible without any changes in reactor structure.

Arun_S · Post by **Arun_S** » 25 Jan 2009 08:28

VinodTK wrote:India must think of testing
From: Deccan Chronicle

Checking the spread of nuclear weapons is the bedrock of American policy on international security, and the terms of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) constitute its theological underpinning. In spite of this, for wider strategic considerations which seemed to stem from a belief in India’s democratic credentials when the world appeared to be consumed by jihadi terrorism, President Bush permitted India the luxury of collaboration in the civilian nuclear field although India had exploded the nuclear device without being a NPT signatory.
When the matter was voted in the US Congress, the Democrats went along (Senator Obama had voted in favour), although many of them made a heck of a noise. But it is doubtful if such a move could have been initiated under a Democratic president. Bill Clinton had tried to strangle India’s nuclear ambition. In general, Democrats tend to be anti-proliferation hawks. They don’t see the hypocrisy of the position which allows the US and the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council to increase their nuclear weapon stockpiles — or at any rate not reduce them — while seeking to punish a country, even a democratic one, which may aspire to nuclear status.
The Obama administration is expected to work to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and revive negotiations on the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. Its predecessor had refused to ratify CTBT and took little interest in FMCT negotiations. This gave India elbow room. But the situation is likely to change under President Obama, as Ms Hillary Clinton has suggested.
If the Democrats are serious, India might have to beat the ban and think of fresh testing in order to refine its stock of nuclear weapons. But so as not to endanger the US’ endorsement of civil nuclear cooperation, India will need to be practical and cite sufficient grounds for testing, drawing on the prevailing regional security environment.

So Soon !!!
Now what does MMS and Amar Singh has to say when the Horses have bolted from the barn door they helped open