Lok Sabha Question No. 5263 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-05
Subject: Expansion of Nuclear Programme
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, T. RADHAKRISHNAN, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., SUDHEER GUPTA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5263

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2017

## EXPANSION OF NUCLEAR PROGRAMME

## 5263.  SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD:

KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH:

SHRI  ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI  T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

SHRI  S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRI  SUDHEER GUPTA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  held  a  meeting  with  Australian  Minister  for Resources pertaining  to  the  issues  of  growth  and  expansion  of  the  nuclear programme and if so, the details and the outcomes thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to double/triple the uranium extraction and production in the near future and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  construct  new  Nuclear  Power  Plants (NPPs) in the eastern, northern and north-eastern parts of the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  PERSONNEL,  PUBLIC  GRIEVANCES  & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (Dr. JITENDRA SINGH):

- (a) Yes, Sir. Hon'ble MOS (PMO) met with Australian Minister for Resources on March 8, 2017 in New Delhi during which both sides had general exchange of views  regarding  promotion  of  mutually  beneficial  cooperation  between  India and Australia in the field of civil nuclear energy.
- (b)      Uranium  Corporation  of  India  Ltd.,  a  Public  Sector  Undertaking  under Department  of  Atomic  Energy  is  engaged  in  mining  and  processing  of uranium  ore  in  the  country.  The  company  is  currently  operating  seven uranium mines (Bagjata, Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar, Turamdih, Banduhurang and Mohuldih) and two processing plants (Jaduguda plant and

Turamdih plant) in the state of Jharkhand. Construction of mine and plant has been started at Tummalapalle in Andhra Pradesh. UCIL has outlined a plan for massive expansion which includes plan to maintain sustained supply from existing facilities, capacity expansion of some existing units and construction of new production centers (mines and plants) in different parts of the country. Considering the resources already identified in different geological basins by Atomic  Minerals  Directorate  for  Exploration  and  Research  (AMD),  UCIL's major production centers are planned in Jharkhand,  Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telengana, Rajasthan and Meghalaya.

- (c) The  details  of  sites  accorded  'in-principle'  approval  for  setting  up  nuclear power   plants in the northern and eastern region are as follows:

| Location & State         | Capacity (MW)   |
|--------------------------|-----------------|
| Northern Region          | Northern Region |
| Gorakhpur, Haryana       | 4 x 700         |
| Mahi Banswara, Rajasthan | 4 x 700         |
| Eastern Region           | Eastern Region  |
| Haripur, West Bengal     | 6 x 1000        |

There  is  presently  no  proposal  to  set  up  nuclear  power  plants  in  the  North Eastern region. The region falls in Seismic Zone V as per IS 1893. As per the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) code on Site Evaluation of Nuclear Facilities, Nuclear Power plants are not set up in Seismic Zone V.

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