JOIN US Two uranium-rich African nations— Namibia and Niger—on Wednesday offered to supply the nuclear fuel to India, which aims to ramp up its nuclear power base within a decade.
The offers were made at the bilateral meetings that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had with the visiting African leaders, who are in the Capital for the India-Africa Partnership Forum.
The uranium-supply issue figured at the meeting that Modi had with Niger President Issoufou Mahamadou. Swaraj, too, discussed it with Namibian Deputy Prime Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
India currently imports uranium from four countries, including Russia. While negotiations are on with two of the largest producers—Canada and Australia, New Delhi is exploring the option of finding out new sources because of its ambitious nuclear energy programme.
“The Namibian minister informed Swaraj that the African nation is setting up a national company with which commercial negotiations for uranium could be initiated,” said Sanjiv Kohli, a joint secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), who looks after West Africa.
India's domestic uranium is inadequate even to fully feed the indigenous small and mid-size reactors. As the Nuclear Power Corporation of India plans larger units of 700-900 Mwe capacity, the search is on for more uranium sources.
Each 220 MW unit needs 45 tonnes of uranium oxide fuel every year to run it at 85 per cent capacity factor. The requirement is 100 tonnes for each 540 MW units and 125 tonnes for 700 Mwe units. Six 700 Mwe units are under construction now. Modi had 19 bilateral meets with the African leadership, which MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup termed as unprecedented.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has also reached New Delhi and more bilaterals are slated on the sidelines of the summit. Swaraj, too, met 12 of her counterparts.