NPC may enter into uranium JVs abroad

KOLKATA: The Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) may enter into uranium mining in joint venture with companies abroad, to secure supply of the basic raw material for its reactors. It is also looking at the possibility of sourcing critical equipment from other countries.

At present, it in the process of preparing itself technically so that it is ready to absorb these equipment once the nuclear deal is through. To begin with it may start sourcing uranium from the open market.

“A mining venture would be part of NPC’s effort to secure supply of uranium — the basic raw material for its reactors,” said officials from NPC.

“A number of companies from uranium producing countries have approached us for setting up joint ventures for mining uranium from their deposits.

These dialogues never advanced earlier because India was not allowed to enter into any such agreement. Now that the international nuke-deal is at an advanced stage we may be able to go ahead with these proposals in the long run once the deal is through ,” said the NPC official.

In a parallel development, NPC will also be looking at the possibility of building small and medium sized nuclear power plants for countries like Vietnam, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Indonesia.