Lok Sabha Question No. 1546 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-27
Subject: Uranium Reserves
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN, JAYADEV GALLA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1546

TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.12.2017

## URANIUM RESERVES

1546.  SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN: SHRI JAYADEV GALLA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the current annual production of Uranium in the country is enough to meet the annual fuel requirement of all the operational uranium based Nuclear Power Plants and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) if not, the reasons therefor and the steps taken/being taken by the Government to explore alternative fuel/technologies/ imported fuel for the said purpose;
- (c) the time by which the country is likely to become self-reliant in terms of atomic fuels;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  signed  any  MoU  with  foreign  countries  with regard to the import of Uranium/atomic fuel and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the amount spent by the Government on importing uranium/atomic fuel during each of the last three years and the current year, country-wise?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) Yes, Sir. Out of 22 Nuclear reactors presently in operation, 8 reactors with  aggregate  capacity  of  2400  MW  are  fuelled  by  indigenous uranium. These reactors are now being operated close to their rated capacity.  14  reactors  with  an  aggregate  capacity  of  4380  MW  are under IAEA Safeguards and use imported uranium.
- (b), (c) &(d)  Presently, there is no short fall in Uranium supply. To meet the future demands, the Government has taken measures to  augment   domestic uranium supply by opening of new mines and processing

facilities  and importing  fuel  for  reactors  under  international  Atomic  Energy Agency(IAEA) Safeguards.

Consequent  upon  the  Civil  Nuclear  Cooperation  Deal,  Department  of  Atomic Energy (DAE) has been importing Uranium to meet the fuel requirements for Safeguarded  Nuclear  Power  Plants.    The  details  of  quantities  of  Uranium imported  so  far  since  the  year  2009  and  the  anticipated  supplies  during  the year 2017-18 is as follows:

|   Sr. No. | Firm/Country                                           | Date of entering into Contract   | Total Quantity to be procured as per Contract                                                                    | Total Quantity received up to 19.12.2017   | Anticipated deliveries in 2017-18   |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|         1 | M/s. AREVA, France                                     | 17.12.2008                       | 300 MT of Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate.                                                                       | 299.88 MT                                  | Nil                                 |
|         2 | M/s. PJSC TVEL Corporation, Russia                     | 11.02.2009                       | 2000 MT of Natural Uranium Oxide Pellets.                                                                        | 2005.88 MT                                 | Nil                                 |
|         2 | M/s. PJSC TVEL Corporation, Russia                     | 11.02.2009                       | 58 MT of Enriched Uranium Oxide Pellets.                                                                         | 58.30 MT                                   | Nil                                 |
|         2 | M/s. PJSC TVEL Corporation, Russia                     | 03.03.2015                       | 42 MT of Enriched Uranium Oxide Pellets.                                                                         | 42.15 MT                                   | Nil                                 |
|         3 | M/s. Navoi Mining & Metallurgical Combinat, Uzbekistan | 28.09.2013                       | 2000 MT of Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate.                                                                      | Nil                                        | Nil                                 |
|         4 | M/s. Cameco, Canada                                    | 15.04.2015                       | The Contract permits procurement of a minimum of 2750 MT and maximum 5500 MT of Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate. | 2473.87 MT                                 | Nil                                 |
|         5 | M/s. JSC NAC KazatomPro, Kazakhstan                    | 12.11.2009                       | 2100 MT of Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate.                                                                      | 2095.9 MT                                  | Nil                                 |
|         5 | M/s. JSC NAC KazatomPro, Kazakhstan                    | 08.07.2015                       | The Contract permits procurement of a minimum of 3750 MT and maximum 7000 MT of Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate. | 2667.08 MT                                 | 2076 MT*                            |

*inclusive of part consignment of around 576 MT pertaining to the Calendar Year   2016   and  1500  MT  pertaining  to  the  Calendar  Year  2017.  Both  the consignments are expected to be received during the Financial Year 2017-18.

(e) the  amount  spent  by  the  Government  on  importing  uranium/atomic  fuel during each of the last three years and the current year is as follows:

|   No. | Agency source/Country                | Description             | Expenditure incurred during the year   | Expenditure incurred in ` (Crore)   |
|-------|--------------------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|
|     1 | M/s. JSC TVEL, Russia                | Fuel Pellets            | 2014-15                                | 541.55                              |
|     1 | M/s. JSC TVEL, Russia                | Fuel Pellets            | 2015-16                                | 868.81                              |
|     1 | M/s. JSC TVEL, Russia                | Fuel Pellets            | 2016-17                                | 395.29                              |
|     1 | M/s. JSC TVEL, Russia                | Fuel Pellets            | 2017-18                                | Nil                                 |
|     2 | M/s. Cameco, Canada                  | Uranium Ore Concentrate | 2014-15                                | Nil                                 |
|     2 | M/s. Cameco, Canada                  | Uranium Ore Concentrate | 2015-16                                | 158.28                              |
|     2 | M/s. Cameco, Canada                  | Uranium Ore Concentrate | 2016-17                                | 534.51                              |
|     2 | M/s. Cameco, Canada                  | Uranium Ore Concentrate | 2017-18                                | 373.82                              |
|     3 | M/s. JAC NAC Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan | Uranium Ore Concentrate | 2014-15                                | 216.93                              |
|     3 | M/s. JAC NAC Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan | Uranium Ore Concentrate | 2015-16                                | Nil                                 |
|     3 | M/s. JAC NAC Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan | Uranium Ore Concentrate | 2016-17                                | 590.01                              |
|     3 | M/s. JAC NAC Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan | Uranium Ore Concentrate | 2017-18                                | 332.52                              |

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