Electricite de France's head of new nuclear projects Xavier Ursat told shareholders at the company's annual general meeting that the company was “working hard” to present India with technical and financial proposals that would culminate in six new reactors in India.
“India has asked us to present complete technical and economic proposals for six EPRs by the end of the year,” Ursat said at the meeting.
The proposals, reported Reuters, are the follow up to an agreement EDF struck with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd to construct six European Pressurized Reactors at Jaitapur in western India on the Arabian Sea cost.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration in its 2016 Energy Outlook report noted that India would be one of the fastest growing regions in the world through 2040 in terms of energy demand. Ursat, in his presentation to shareholders, noted the country's demand growth for nuclear was spurred in part by a need to reduce its dependence on greenhouse gas emitting coal-fired power plants.
Ursat also said that half of the world's nuclear power industry growth was predicted to occur in China, where EDF is currently building two reactors. However, Ursat did not name any new EDF contracts slated for China.
The potential for new contracts, however, was viable in South Africa, Czech Republic and Poland, countries that are considering either new plants or upgrades to existing facilities, he said.
He also mentioned the Hinkley Point C project, which has an estimated cost of $26 billion, about which, due to financial uncertainties, EDF has yet to make a firm commitment. “Hinkley Point will help us continue our activities and preserve our skills base and jobs,” he said.