This week, Wilmington’s GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy is helping lead a delegation of U.S. nuclear industry leaders to India. In meetings today through Friday, the U.S. delegation will discuss with Indian government officials and energy industry leaders in New Delhi and Mumbai about how it can support the expansion of safe, low carbon nuclear energy to increase electricity in one of the world’s fastest growing economies.

India plans to expand its production of electricity through nuclear energy by more than tenfold. The country produces about 4.1 gigawatts currently and plans to produce 63 gigawatts by 2032. An estimated 30 to 40 gigawatts would be produced by imported reactor technology, including such from GE Hitachi.

“GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy stands ready to support India’s ambitious plans to grow its nuclear-energy program,” said Danny Roderick, senior vice president of nuclear plant projects for GE Hitachi in a press release. “The prospects are exciting for job growth in both countries. Nuclear energy has a leading role to play in addressing carbon emissions as part of a diversified portfolio of energy generation solutions.”

India has identified two sites for potential 10,000-megawatt nuclear power stations, which would feature reactor designs from U.S.-based providers. One of the two sites is in the western state of Gujarat and the other is in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

GE Hitachi has signed agreements with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. and Larsen & Toubro to begin preparing the local manufacturing and construction necessary for a multiple-unit reactor project in India. GE Hitachi will apply advanced, modular construction techniques developed by its global nuclear alliance throughout the plants’ construction.

This week’s trade delegation is the U.S. nuclear industry’s second mission to India since October 2008, when the U.S.-India nuclear energy cooperation agreement was approved. The agreement lifted a three-decade ban on nuclear technology trade between the two countries, thus creating the legal framework to enable U.S. firms to provide other countries with nuclear technology and fuel.

On Nov. 24 in Washington, D.C., President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reiterated their commitment to fully implement the bilateral agreement.

“This week’s trade mission to India comes on the heels of Prime Minister Singh’s successful state visit to Washington, and after months of steady progress toward making the historic U.S.-India nuclear accord a commercial reality,” said Ted Jones, director of the U.S.-India Business Council in a press release. “We look forward to working closely with our Indian partners and we are pleased that GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy is once again providing leadership for this initiative.”