Agreement with Larsen & Toubro Strengthens GEH’s Local Supplier Network for Future, Multi-Unit Reactor Project to Help Meet Energy and Climate Goals
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) today announced it has signed a nuclear power plant development agreement with India's top engineering and construction company, Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (L&T).
The agreement with L&T is an important part of GEH’s strategy to establish an extensive network of local suppliers to help build a future GEH-designed Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) power station in India. The power station is one of several being planned by India to increase the country’s nuclear generation capacity more than tenfold over the next two decades—from 4.1 GW today to 60 GW by 2030. The nuclear power initiative is a key part of India’s broader plan to expand its energy infrastructure to meet the country’s surging demands for electricity.
GEH’s 1,350-MW ABWR technology is the world’s only commercially proven Generation III advanced reactor design, with the first two of four operating units entering service in 1996 and 1997 and four additional units under construction.
"The agreement with L&T is an important step in gearing up to meet the country's power needs through nuclear energy," said Kishore Jayaraman, CEO, GE Energy, India, Srilanka & Bangladesh “Agreements like this symbolize an exciting renewal in our long history with India’s domestic nuclear industry, and we look forward to working collaboratively to usher in a new era of nuclear energy with our next-generation ABWR technology.”
GEH’s MOU with L&T is one of the first preliminary nuclear technology trade agreements to be announced by a U.S.-majority owned company since the United States and India adopted a civilian nuclear energy accord in October 2008.
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In March 2009, GEH announced an ABWR development agreement with Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL), India’s only nuclear utility, operating 17 reactors. GEH is building its local supply chain in India and is exploring new business opportunities for civilian nuclear power in India that also include plant services and providing fuel for existing and new nuclear power plants.
Under their new agreement, GEH and L&T will plan for the construction and engineering management resources that will be needed to build the proposed ABWR power station. GEH will serve as the technology provider of certain ABWR nuclear island equipment and components, as well as related engineering and technical advisory services. GEH also intends to apply the latest ABWR modular construction techniques. L&T will collaborate with GEH to engineer, manufacture, construct and provide certain construction management services.
GEH’s project development agreements lay the foundation for continued cooperation as the Indian and U.S. governments work to implement key elements of their 2008 civilian nuclear energy agreement. GEH is in discussions with NPCIL on a site for the potential multi-unit ABWR plant.
Building such relationships extends GEH’s long history with India’s domestic nuclear industry. In the 1960s, GE built India’s first nuclear power station, the two-unit BWR plant at Tarapur, which recently reached its 40th year in operation.
Nuclear energy is important in GEH’s long-standing ties with India. Today, GE’s global businesses participate in a wide range of manufacturing, services and technology sectors in India, as GE seeks to be a partner in the nation’s growth. GE’s revenues in India are approximately $2.6 billion, and the company employs more than 14,500 people across the country.
In addition to the Generation III ABWR, GEH also offers customers its Generation III+ Economic Simplified Boiling Water Reactor (ESBWR). The evolutionary, advanced passive safety design, based on the ABWR, is progressing in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s design certification process.
About GEH Nuclear Energy
Based in Wilmington, N.C., GEH is a world-leading provider of advanced reactors and nuclear services. Established in June 2007, GEH is a global nuclear alliance created by GE and Hitachi to serve the global nuclear industry. The nuclear alliance executes a single, strategic vision to create a broader portfolio of solutions, expanding its capabilities for new reactor and service opportunities. The alliance offers customers around the world the technological leadership required to effectively enhance reactor performance, power output and safety.