Over 50 senior executives representing over 30 leading commercial nuclear companies
By Stephen Heiser
The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W) joined a U.S. trade mission to India on Jan. 11-16 to explore commercial nuclear partnership opportunities. The mission included more than 50 senior executives representing over 30 leading commercial nuclear companies. The event was the largest trade mission of U.S. commercial nuclear executives ever to visit India and follows the successful completion of the U.S.-India Civilian Nuclear Initiative, which opened India to civilian nuclear trade with the U.S. and the world.
The mission was led by the U.S.-India Business Council and the Nuclear Energy Institute, and was certified by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
The U.S. delegation met with senior Indian government officials, leaders of India’s top public-sector undertakings, and senior executive counterparts from India’s rising global companies. The group started in New Delhi, then traveled to Mumbai.
B&W has strong ties to India’s power sector that span more than 20 years. Through its relationship with Thermax Limited, B&W has worked with Indian industry to build power plants that operate across the country. In 2008, Thermax and B&W announced a new technology transfer license agreement that gives Thermax the right to engineer, manufacture and sell B&W subcritical pressure radiant utility boilers in India.
“B&W is backed by more than 140 years of experience, and we have a distinguished history in nuclear power that dates back to its inception,” said Brandon Bethards, B&W’s Chief Executive Officer. “We have world-class nuclear component manufacturing facilities and a strong commitment to safety, quality and performance. We recognize these are key tenets of India’s nuclear power programs, and we look forward to working with India as they begin to add more nuclear generation.”
“The historic U.S.-India nuclear deal opens up tremendous opportunities for both Indian and U.S. business,” said Craig Hansen, B&W’s Vice President of Washington Operations and a member of the delegation traveling to India. “With demand for carbon-free electricity rapidly increasing, nuclear power is clearly going to play a large role. India has the skilled workforce, a robust existing nuclear industry, and the commitment necessary to manage complex technical operations. B&W would like to work with the Indian industry to build capacity to supply their own nuclear growth while developing an export capability to serve rapidly expanding markets.”