New Delhi : In a move to scale up cooperation in the nuclear energy sector, India and Russia are likely to sign an agreement on Kudankulam units 5 and 6 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Eurasian country from Wednesday.
Sources said the government is also planning to make optimum use of the available nuclear sites in various states to accommodate more atomic reactors to meet energy-starved country’s growing needs.
Modi is scheduled to visit Russia from December 23-24 to hold an annual summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Ahead of the Prime Ministerial visit, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Rosatom – the Russian counterpart of the India’s Department of Atomic Energy – Nikolai Spasskiy paid a visit to India on December 7-8, during which he is believed to have held negotiations with Sekhar Basu, Secretary DAE regarding the possible inking of a pact of unit 5 and 6 of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) during Modi’s stay, reports PTI.
“During negotiations, the parties discussed issues of final acceptance of Unit 1 of Kudankulam NPP, achievement of the minimum controlled power at Unit 2, beginning of construction of Units 3 and 4, and signing of the general framework agreement for Units 5 and 6, as well as further cooperation development steps,” Rosatom said.
The agreement details were also deliberated upon, sources said. Unit 5 and 6 of VVER technology are expected to be of the same MW like units 1-4, but the cost details of the project is yet to be finalised.
