India Can Export Nuclear Power Plants
Two-way trade in the nuclear power sector between the US and India would make eminent(प्रतिष्ठित/प्रख्यात) sense The latest India-US Joint Statement reiterates that Westinghouse Electric Company would help set up six nuclear plants in India. But Westinghouse has had billions of dollars of cost overruns(वृद्धि) in its nuclear reactors in the US, and stands to gain(लाभ/मुनाफ़ा) from joining hands with Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) to better manage its project implementation(कार्यान्वयन/अमल). The fact is that NPCIL has been able to streamline(व्यवस्थित करें) project implementation with standardised designs and equipment(उपकरण), and is implementing at least 10 new pressurised(दबाव वाले) heavy water reactors (PHWRs) nationally. In sharp(तीव्र) contrast(विरोध/विषमता), the US, which is building nuclear plants after a long hiatus(अंतराल), seems to have rather rusty(पुराना/बिगड़ा हुआ) expertise when it comes to construction(निर्माण/बनावट of nuclear power plants.
Last year WEC, owned by private equity firm Brookfield Business Partners, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after design reviews of its new reactor by regulators and huge cost overruns in four nuclear reactors situated in southeast US. There is much potential(क्षमता/तनाव) for export of India’s indigenous(स्थानीय/देशीय) PHWRs, and the Joint Statement rightly calls for India’s “immediate accession” to the Nuclear Suppliers Group. PHWRs use natural uranium oxide as fuel, doing away with costly enrichment(समृद्ध/उपजाऊ). The newer NPCIL reactors are designed to be larger 700-MW plants, so as to reap economies of scale, and serial production of nuclear components would keep implementation costs relatively low. Nuclear reactors can provide baseload power at attractive costs; Westinghouse and NPCIL do need to partner in the US, and elsewhere in the world afterwards. The Indo-US nuclear deal can surely benefit both nations in hitherto(अब तक) unexplored(अनदेखा/बेरोज़गार) ways(तरीके), for mutual gains.
Important Vocabulary
1.Eminent(प्रतिष्ठित/प्रख्यात)
Synonyms: big-name, distinguished, esteemed, famed, high-ranking
Antonyms: common, inconspicuous, inferior, insignificant, obscure
2.Contrast(विरोध/विषमता),
Synonyms: comparison, contradiction, disagreement, disparity, distinction
Antonyms: agreement, harmony, likeness, peace, sameness
3.Hiatus(अंतराल),
Synonyms: interval, lapse, aperture, blank, breach
Antonyms: closing, closure, continuation, juncture, misfortune
4.Streamline(व्यवस्थित करें)
Synonyms: assign, conduct, distribute, establish, file
Antonyms: disarrange, disorder, forget, keep, break
5.Rusty(पुराना/बिगड़ा हुआ)
Synonyms: decayed, oxidized, rust-covered, rusted
Antonyms: experienced, practiced, talented
6.Enrichment(समृद्ध/उपजाऊ)
Synonyms: enhancement, embellishment, endowment, improvement,
Antonyms: injury
