Indo – UK Civil Nuclear Research Collaboration Network

1. Indo – UK Civil Nuclear Research Collaboration Network Simon Walker, Imperial College London (Network “PI”) Bill Nuttall, The Open University Amy Gandy, University of Sheffield

2. India has an extensive nuclear heritage Much of India’s Nuclear strategy is implementing the vision of Homi J. Bhabha (1909-1966) Image sources: http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/portrait-of-a-nuclear-physicist-homi-bhabha-1960s-news-photo/141551109 (copy right expired) and www.BARC.gov.in

3. Indo – UK background: India & Nuclear Power • India has a flourishing and largely indigenous nuclear power programme and expects to have 14.6 GWe nuclear capacity on line by 2024 and 63 GWe by 2032. It aims to supply 25% of electricity from nuclear power by 2050. • It is developing multiple reactor types (PHWR, FBR, Thorium, ….) • Because India never signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, for 34 years it was largely excluded from trade in nuclear plant or materials. • In recent years the USA, Russia, France, Canada and the UK have resumed civil nuclear collaboration. • Due to earlier trade bans and lack of indigenous uranium, India has uniquely been developing a nuclear fuel cycle to exploit its reserves of thorium. • India’s nuclear liability arrangements have been recently been aligned with other jurisdictions, and foreign technology imports made easier • India has a vision of becoming a world leader in nuclear technology based on a closed fuel cycle (& noting its expertise in fast reactors and thorium fuels)

4. UK-India Civil Nuclear Collaboration In 2011 the UK EPSRC and the Indian Department of Atomic Energy initiated the “Indo – UK Civil Nuclear Collaboration”. The collaboration supports scientific exchange and interaction involving UK university academics and scientists and engineers at Indian DAE laboratories. Science and engineering with application to nuclear power has been at the core of the activities. The programme is now into its third tranche of supported projects, with a fourth tranche under discussion As part of the third tranche, EPSRC supported the establishment of a “Network”.

5. The ‘Indo – UK network’ Lead ‘Investigators’ Simon Walker (Imperial, PI) Personal research focus – Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics, Reactor Systems Bill Nuttall (OU) Personal research focus –Energy Technology Policy Amy Gandy (Sheffield) Personal research focus – Nuclear Materials We gratefully acknowledge the input of the late David Smith in establishing the Network.

6. Aims of the Network • To foster mutual awareness and contact between the UK researchers involved in the Indo – UK projects • To share experiences of working with Indian laboratories • To identify and promulgate best practice • To help facilitate linkages between UK and Indian researchers • To help make the wider UK research and industrial community aware of the Indo – UK collaboration • To encourage other UK researchers to become involved

7. Some Example Indo – UK Projects

8. Network activities to date (I) • Amy Gandy, Sheffield University, joins the team • Network co-ordinator recruited • -An Indian national, working on an Indo-UK project (ideal!) • -Sadly, recently needed unexpectedly to return to India • -A replacement recruited, starting this month (October 2016) • Simon Walker met with ArunSrivastava (DAE) in Mumbai, to discuss the Network, and the possibility of complementing the UK Network with an Indian equivalent • Kick-off meeting for UK PIs held in London in July 2016. The meeting considered network strategy etc. and was followed by a discussion dinner • First Plenary Indo-UK conference being organised for December 2016 (more later)

9. Network activities to date (II) • We are inthe process of accumulating ‘basic’ information about the Indo-UK Projects • You will shortly receive a request for information • It will be as a simple form, designed to be as easy as possible to complete • (Basic factual stuff about dates, people, collaborators, Project abstract, website link, publications; …) • It will invite you to contribute what you think would be helpful to demonstrate the success of your Project, of the Collaboration, would be helpful perhaps for other researchers, ….. • Prompt completion and return would much appreciated

10. Indo-UK Round IV • The scope of the fourth round is to be determined by the EPSRC and the Indian DAE • The existing UK ’Indo-UK’ research community has been commenting, and we have become aware there is support for • ‘Themes based on technical issues’ • With support for (alphabetical!) themes:- • Energy Policy • Metallurgy and bonding • Safety and Environmental Protection • Thermal Hydraulics • Technologies for advanced reactors and systems • Wastes, Radiation Damage (and Decommissioning?) • • In addition perhaps consideration of ‘grander ambitions’ to deepen and strengthen collaboration between the two countries?

11. First Plenary Indo – UK Network Conference Date: December 19th & 20th 2016 Location: Halifax Hall, Sheffield University Advance registration required All involved (at whatever level / role) in previous and current Indo-UK Projects are invited to attend, and will be encouraged to give presentations. Attendance by those planning to seek involvement in ‘Phase IV’ is also much welcomed – this is not a closed event. Capacity will be limited, and we may have to restrict numbers, so register promptly Request a copy of the Call, which has registration information, from the Meeting Organiser: Dr Amy Gandy (a.gandy@sheffield.ac.uk)

12. First Plenary Indo – UK Conference EPSRC Indo UK Civil Nuclear Collaboration Indo-UK Civil Nuclear Network Meeting 19 & 20 December 2016 Halifax Hall, Sheffield University FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT

13. First Plenary Indo – UK Conference • 19 December • Arrive, lunch • Technical Sessions • Conference Dinner • 20 December • Technical Sessions • Lunch • Depart Registration, lunches, dinner and on-site accommodation will be provided for pre-registered delegates (The Network will pay). Participants will cover their own travel costs. The Network will not reimburse delegate’s other expenses.

14. First Plenary Indo – UK Conference •Video-link address from Arun Srivastava (Secretary, Atomic Energy Commission & Head, International Collaboration and Planning Division, Department of Atomic Energy) •’Working with India’ Best practice, what works, what does not •Practical issues Vaccinations Visas Travel Export Control and nuclear legalities etc, etc •Technical Sessions The call is being circulated Please register as indicated

15. Possible / Planned Future Network Activities • Community input is sought (it is your network) • Possibilities include: • An edited ‘book’ – summarising Indo-UK nuclear collaboration under the programme. • A periodic Newsletter • A Website • A ‘Matrix’ of researchers and contacts, to facilitate further interactions • Further discussion / plenary meetings • Immediate next steps: • -The December Plenary Meeting • -Joint UK & Indian-authored article for Nuclear Future, looking back at the Indo-UK collaboration thus far? • -The prompt and comprehensive return of the Project information requests • Emailed suggestions to the Network coordinators welcomed

16. Thank you • Community input is sought (it is your network) • Comments to:- • s.p.walker@imperial.ac.uk • William.Nuttall@open.ac.uk • a.gandy@sheffield.ac.uk