Lok Sabha Question No. 183 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-16
Subject: Thorium Deposits
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.183 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.11.2016

## THORIUM DEPOSITS

## 183. SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) the quantum of Thorium deposits in the country and which are the sites and States which possess thorium along with quantity;
- (b) whether Uranium used in nuclear power stations today provides around 14% of the total electricity produced world wide and this is increasingly being used by countries for producing electricity and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is also planning to tap this resource for power generation in India which can be used in nuclear reactors;
- (d) if so, the steps taken for the same and the funds allocated for research into this area for last three years; and
- (e) whether the Government has consulted with any other country or scientific expert body outside India for expert research guidance and technology transfer for utilising in this process and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration & Research (AMD), a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), has so far established 11.935 million tonnes (Mt)  of  monazite  in  the  country,  which  contains  about  1.07  million  tonnes  (Mt.)  of thorium.  The  state-wise  resources  of  in  situ  monazite  established  by  AMD  as  on October 2016 are as follows:

| State          |   No. of deposits |   Resource (Mt) |
|----------------|-------------------|-----------------|
| Odisha         |                10 |           2.41  |
| Andhra Pradesh |                26 |           3.72  |
| Tamil Nadu     |                51 |           2.46  |
| Kerala         |                35 |           1.9   |
| West Bengal    |                 1 |           1.22  |
| Jharkhand      |                 1 |           0.22  |
| Maharashtra    |                 3 |           0.002 |
| Gujarat        |                 1 |           0.003 |
| Total          |               128 |          11.935 |

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- (b) Yes, Sir. According to World  Nuclear Association, an international organization that represents  the  global  nuclear  industry,  uranium  used  in  447  commercial  nuclear power reactors in 31 countries, with a total installed capacity of over 390,000 MWe, supplies  almost  11.5%  of  global  electricity  (as  on  August,  2016).  In  fact,  through regional  transmission  grids,  many  more  than  those  countries  depend  on  nucleargenerated  power.  About  60  further  nuclear  power  reactors  are  under  construction, equivalent to 16% of existing capacity, while over 160 are firmly planned, equivalent to nearly half of present capacity.
- (c) Yes, Sir. At present, total of 21 numbers of uranium fuel based commercial reactors having a total electricity generation capacity of 5780 MWe are currently operating in the country. Several more reactors are under construction and planning.

The Government is also planning to tap the thorium resource for power generation in India.  The  Department  of  Atomic  Energy  (DAE)  is  making  all  efforts  towards technology development for utilisation of thorium fuel cycle. Research & Development (R&D) on thorium utilisation continues to be a high priority area of DAE.

India  has large deposits of thorium, which can be used to generate nuclear power. However, it is not possible to build a nuclear reactor using thorium alone due to its physics  characteristics.    Thorium  has  to  be  converted  to  Uranium-233  in  a  reactor before  it  can  be  used  as  fuel.  With  this  in  view,  a  three-stage  nuclear  power programme,  based  on  a  closed  nuclear  fuel  cycle  has  been  chalked  out  to  use thorium as a viable and sustainable option, right at the inception of India's nuclear power programme. The three stage nuclear power programme aims to multiply the domestically available fissile resource  through  the  use  of natural  uranium  in Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors, followed by use of plutonium obtained from the spent  fuel  of  Pressurised  Heavy  Water  Reactors  in  Fast  Breeder  Reactors.  Large scale use of Thorium will subsequently follow making use of Uranium-233 that will be bred  in  Fast  Breeder  Reactors,  when  adequate  nuclear  installed  capacity  in  the country  has  been  built.  The  third  stage  of  Indian  nuclear  power  programme  which contemplates  making  use  of  Uranium-233  to  fuel  Uranium-233  -  Thorium  based reactors, can provide energy independence to the country for several centuries. All efforts towards technology development and demonstration are being made now, so that a mature technology is available in time.

DAE has therefore planned the use of thorium as a sustainable and long-term option in the third stage of the Indian nuclear programme. The utilisation of Thorium, on a significant  scale,  can  begin  only  when  abundant  supplies  of  either  Uranium  or Plutonium  resources  are  available.  Accordingly,  the  large  scale  introduction  and utilization of Thorium in the programme has been contemplated towards later part of the  second  stage  which  will  be  after  a  few  decades  of  large  scale  deployment  of FBRs.

- (d)      As  part  of  the  recent  plan  projects,  a  total  of ` 292  crore  has  been  allotted  for development programme on thorium based reactors.

XII-C-R&D-82 (ANRD) -` 86 Crore

XII-N-R&D-43 (SATDAR) -` 116 Crore

MTA - Infrastructure and Component Development for launching AHWR -    XII plan project in Power Sector -` 90 Crore

- (e)      Other  countries  or scientific  bodies have not been consulted by the Department for expert  research  guidance  and  technology  transfer  for  the  development  of  thorium based nuclear reactors.

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