French firm joins GE to build nuclear reactors for India

French utility EDF and GE will jointly build six reactors for the Jaitapur nuclear power plants in Maharashtra, envisioned as the world's largest nuclear power plant with a cumulative capacity of 9,900 megawatts of electricity. EDF group senior executive vice president Xavier Ursat and GE's steam power business president & CEO Andreas Lusch on Tuesday announced the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement between the two firms for the planned construction of six European Pressurised water Reactors (EPRs) at Jaitapur site.

The pact comes as India is shifting away from coal-based electricity to environmentfriendly sources for meeting the growing energy demands of its increasingly urban population. The country plans to have nuclear power generation capacity of 22,480 mw by 2031 through projects including the Jaitapur one.

The layout of nuclear power plant comprises two major parts -- the nuclear island and the conventional (turbine) island. The nuclear island is the heart of the nuclear power plant, while the conventional (turbine) island houses the key component which extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam and converts it into electrical energy.

GE Power will design the conventional island for the Jaitapur nuclear plant and supply its main components, a joint statement said.EDF will be responsible for engineering integration of the entire project. GE will also provide operational support services and a training programme to meet the needs of the state-run Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd, the plant's owner and operator.