New Delhi (NVI): In a major development related to Jaitapur nuclear power project, France’s state-run company Électricité de France S.A.(EDF) has submitted its binding offer for constructing six reactors at the facility in Maharashtra.
French Ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain said the project, with the installed capacity of 9.6 Giga Watt of power, would be the biggest civil nuclear plant in the world.
“I am very proud to announce a major step in the Jaitapur civil nuclear programme. The French energy company EDF has submitted a binding offer to build six EPR reactors at Jaitapur in Maharashtra,” he said about the project.
This milestone in the #Jaitapur nuclear power plant project brings forward the vision of President @EmmanuelMacron and PM @narendramodi, in line with #MakeInIndia. Together, France and India will secure access to safe, reliable, competitive and sustainable energy. pic.twitter.com/1dc5gSWa7S
— Emmanuel Lenain (@FranceinIndia) April 23, 2021
He said the project would generate electricity for 7 crore households and create thousands of local jobs, besides saving production of 8 crore tons of carbon dioxide per year.
“This major milestone for EDF, its partners and the French nuclear industry will enable discussions aimed at converging towards a binding framework agreement in the coming months,” said a statement by the company.
The offer is the culmination of the work carried out jointly with India’s state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) further to the signature of the Industrial Way Forward Agreement on March 10, 2018 in Delhi in the presence of the Indian Prime Minister and the French President, and to the submission of EDF’s non-binding proposal at the end of 2018.
“The socio-economic benefits of the project for India would be significant, with the creation of around 25,000 local jobs during the construction phase for a pair of EPR units, not to mention tens of thousands of indirect and induced jobs,” it said.
“Moreover the operation of the 6 EPR units would create around 2,700 permanent jobs,” it added.
The project would also generate significant economic benefits for the French nuclear industry over the entire duration of the project (approximately 15 years), with tens of thousands of jobs in the hundred or so involved French companies, the company said.
Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman and CEO of the EDF Group, said: “The submission of EDF’s binding techno-commercial offer for the Jaitapur project is a major step forward for the Group and the French nuclear industry.”
Levy said this key milestone has been achieved “thanks to the trust-based relationship built over time with our Indian partner, and the excellent collaboration and continuous efforts of the EDF and NPCIL teams.”
The Chairman said this is yet another significant step towards the materialization of this flagship project for our great nations, and the establishment of a long-term partnership in the civil nuclear field between both our leading nuclear industries.
“As a leader in low-carbon energy solutions and the world’s largest nuclear operator, we are proud to support India in this major project, which illustrates the Indian government’s determination to achieve 40% CO2-free energy in its mix by 2030, and which resonates perfectly with the Group’s company purpose.”
