India’s HEC signs MoU with Russia

Manufacturing heavy water reactors in St Petersburg

Business & Politics

June 7, 2017

/ By / New Delhi



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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia saw the signing of various deals between the countries including the manufacturing of units of a nuclear plant and a heavy water reactor.

In a major expansion and development move the Heavy Engineering Corporation Ltd (HEC), headquartered in Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkhand (East), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with II Polzunov Scientific and Development Association on Research and Design of Power Equipment at St Petersburg in Russia, for the manufacturing of equipment for pressurised heavy water reactors.

Set up in 1958, HEC is one of the leading suppliers of capital equipment in India for steel, mining, railways, power, defense, space research, nuclear and strategic sectors.

The signing of the MoU between the CMD of HEC, Avijit Ghosh and VY Mikhayov of II Polzunov Scientific and Development Association also saw the presence of Girish Shankar, secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industry, Government of India.

This is the third MoU that has been signed by HEC in Russia since May 29 this year. The first deal this year was with the Krylov State Research Centre in St Petersburg, to facilitate transfer of technology for manufacture of propulsion systems and shafts for ships. The other deal was with CNIITMASH for transfer of technology for manufacture of castings and forgings for thermal power plants.

The MoU came in the wake of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Russia where he discussed the building of two major units of India’s nuclear plant in Kudankulam, Tamil Nadu (South) with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  The plant, when set up, will have a capacity to produce 1,000 MW of power and is another project between the two countries. It will be built by India’s Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and Russia’s Atomstroyexport Company.

An Indian daily also reported that II Polzunov Scientific and Development Association will help HEC to diversify beyond its core competence areas of coal, steel and railways to commence manufacturing vital equipments for pressurised heavy water reactors.

When carried out, the project will help India save precious foreign exchange and strengthen its credentials as a major nuclear powerhouse, an Indian daily reported.

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