NEW DELHI, 3 April 2006 — Notwithstanding US reservations over the supply of Russian enriched uranium for the Tarapur nuclear reactor, India has received the first consignment of 25 tons. Russia is to supply 60 tons of enriched uranium that will be sufficient for the two units of Tarapur plant for the next five years. The supply, already received for units I and II of the US-built reactors (in the sixties), would last for eight months in one unit and for 18 in the other.

Low-enriched uranium (LEU) was flown from Russia by a special chartered aircraft to Hyderabad, from where it was taken to the Nuclear Fuel Complex for processing, sources said. “It will take some time before they are taken to Tarapur, because they have to be processed first,” a senior official said.

“With Russian supply of 60 tons of uranium, the plants will have fuel for the next five years and run smoothly,” executive director of corporate planning in the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), S. Thakur, told reporters.

Describing the Russian supply as “timely,” the sources said the renovated units I and II received the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board’s license to operate for five years from Feb. 16, 2006. As the units are boiling water reactors, they need low enriched uranium as fuel. Shut down in October last year after undergoing renovation, modernization and safety upgradation, the two units were reconnected to the western grid on Feb. 16.

Indian nuclear experts have said that by sending the LEU before ratification of Indo-US nuke deal by the US Congress and Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG), Russia has signaled that it does not want its decisions to be influenced by the US stand.

Soon after President George W. Bush left New Delhi for Washington, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh telephoned Russian President Vladimir Putin who confirmed that Russian fuel would be supplied to Tarapur. During his visit last month, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov reiterated Moscow’s commitment, and asserted: “These do not contradict international commitments. We informed the Nuclear Supplier Group of the supply of fuel to the Tarapur power plant. We are assisting each other to ensure strategic security.”

Washington has voiced reservations on Russia’s decision to supply fuel for the Tarapur reactor. In Washington’s view, such a step should be taken after India fulfills its obligations under the historic Indo-US nuclear deal.

Not fallowing the US line on this issue, India asserted: “There is no violation of NSG guidelines and Russia has approached NSG under the safety exception clause. The United States is aware of the urgent need for fuel for Tarapur.”

The contract for supply of LEU is with a Russian company called Rosatom, which is also involved in the construction of the Kudunkulam atomic power station near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Rosatom spokesman Sergei Novikov said last week in Moscow: “We are supplying up to 60 tons of Uranium 135 enriched to up to 3 percent for Tarapur-1 and Tarapur-2 reactors.”

He specified the amounts following reports on Russia supplying “about 50 tons” of fuel to Tarapur. He reiterated that fuel delivery was being made under the safety exception clause of NSG guidelines, which otherwise ban nuclear supplies to India. “It is essential to replace the fuel Russia supplied to Tarapur in 2001. Further burning of the old fuel will result in safety hazard,” Novikov said.

Rosatom chief Sergei Kiriyenko will visit India later this week to review progress in the construction of two Russian reactors at Kudunkulam, which are to go critical in 2007 and 2008. Russia has committed itself to lifelong supply of nuclear fuel for the Kudunkulam reactors and is keen in setting up four more 1000MW light water reactors at the power plant.