Moscow expects to discuss with New Delhi, on the sidelines of the upcoming Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in September, the second site for the construction of a Russian-designed nuclear power plant in India, Roman Babushkin, minister-counselor of the Russian Embassy in India, told reporters on Tuesday
NEW DELHI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th August, 2019) Moscow expects to discuss with New Delhi, on the sidelines of the upcoming Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in September, the second site for the construction of a Russian-designed nuclear power plant in India, Roman Babushkin, minister-counselor of the Russian Embassy in India, told reporters on Tuesday."As for the second platform, we really touch upon this issue regularly. It is in our mutual interests. We expect this topic to be part of the discussions at the upcoming summit in Vladivostok between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Babushkin said, commenting on preparations for the Russia-India summit in Vladivostok.
Nuclear energy cooperation between Russia and India has a long and successful history, and Russia remains the only foreign country in India that implements the agreements reached on the creation of nuclear energy capacities, the diplomat noted.
"At present, we are talking about six reactors that will be built at the Kudankulam site. Two reactors are already operational, work is underway on the other two to implement the relevant agreements. Agreements on another two � the fifth and the sixth � are pending," Babushkin recalled.
Russia is one of India's key partners in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. In accordance with the 1988 intergovernmental agreement and its 1998 amendment, Russia has been building the Kudankulam nuclear plant in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu since 2013. The plant is being built by two organizations within Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom. The agreement on its construction was signed by Moscow and New Delhi in November 1988.
The power plant's first unit was connected to the national power grid in 2013 and eventually handed over to the Indian side for operation in April 2017. The second unit was connected in 2016, while the third and fourth units are currently under construction and are planned to be built by 2023 and 2024, respectively. In December 2014, Russia and India agreed to build at least 12 units for India's nuclear power plants, including at least four at the Kudankulam site.
In October 2018, Rosatom and the Atomic Energy Commission of India signed a cooperation document for the construction of six nuclear power plants of Russian design with modern third-generation VVER reactors at a new site in India, which was not disclosed. However, it was previously reported that it might be located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
