Lok Sabha Question No. 4537 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Import of Nuclear Fuel
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4537

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

## IMPORT OF NUCLEAR FUEL

4537.  SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) the  year-wise  details  of  the  quantity  of  nuclear  fuel  imported  during  the  last three years;
- (b) the  year-wise  details  of  country's  expenditure  incurred  on  import  of  the  said fuel;
- (c) the  details  of  nuclear  fuel  imported  during  the  current  financial  year  and proposed to be imported during the next financial year;
- (d) whether the available nuclear fuel stockpile is sufficient to meet the country's demand at present and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  any  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  to  speed  up  the process of domestic mining of nuclear fuel and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) Details given in Annexure- A
- (c) Nuclear fuel and fuel assemblies for Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) and Boiling Water Reactors (BWR) are not scheduled to be imported during the current  financial  year.    For  the  next  financial  year  (2022-23),  133  nos.  of  fuel assemblies are scheduled to be imported.  Also, 100 Metric Tonne Unit (MTU) of natural Uranium in the form of Uranium Ore Concentrate (UOC) is scheduled to be imported during the financial year 2022-23.
- (d) Yes, Sir.Government has entered into an agreement with Government of Russian Federation for supply of fuel for Russian reactors at Kudankulam, viz. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNP) throughout the operation of power units. India also

entered into uranium Purchase Agreement with Canada, Kazakhasthan, Russia & Uzbekistan. As on date , adequatestockpile of imported Natural uranium is available at  Nuclear  Fuel  Complex  (NFC),  a  Constituent  unit  of  Department  of  Atomic Energy, for supply of fuel to various reactor sites under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.

- e)  Yes,  Sir.Uranium  fuel  requirement  for  the  reactors  which  are  under  domestic safeguards  is  adequately  met  by  Uranium  Corporation  of  India  Limited  (UCIL), aPublic Sector Enterprise under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Time to time, projects which include capacity expansion of some of existing units as well as for  establishing  new  projects  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  are  planned  for maintaining sustained supply.

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## DETAILS OF FUEL IMPORTED DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS

| SR. NO.   | YEAR    | ENRICHED URANIUM FUEL PELLETS SUPPLIED BY JSC TVEL RUSSIA   | ENRICHED URANIUM FUEL PELLETS SUPPLIED BY JSC TVEL RUSSIA   | NATURAL URANIUM ORE CONCENETRATE SUPPLIED BY M/S. JSC NAC KAZATOMPORM KAZAKHSTAN   | NATURAL URANIUM ORE CONCENETRATE SUPPLIED BY M/S. JSC NAC KAZATOMPORM KAZAKHSTAN   | NATURAL URANIUM ORE CONCENETRATE SUPPLIED BY M/S. CAMECO, CANADA   | NATURAL URANIUM ORE CONCENETRATE SUPPLIED BY M/S. CAMECO, CANADA   |
|-----------|---------|-------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|           |         | QUANTITY RECD (IN MTU )                                     | EXPENDITURE (IN RS.Crore )                                  | QUANTITY RECD (IN MTU)                                                             | EXPENDITURE (IN RS. Crore)                                                         | QUANTITY RECD (IN MTU)                                             | EXPENDITURE (IN RS.Crore)                                          |
| 1         | 2018-19 | 0                                                           | 0                                                           | 2057.87                                                                            | 1010.95                                                                            | 986.6012                                                           | 472.90                                                             |
| 2         | 2019-20 | 56.78                                                       | 333.31                                                      | 1499.98                                                                            | 710.05                                                                             | 1001.291                                                           | 475.83                                                             |
| 3         | 2020-21 | 0                                                           | 0                                                           | 999.82                                                                             | 572.44                                                                             | 1000.479                                                           | 618.95                                                             |
| 4         | 2021-22 | 0                                                           | 0                                                           | 0                                                                                  | 0                                                                                  | 0                                                                  | 0                                                                  |
|           | TOTAL   | 56.78                                                       | 333.31                                                      | 4557.67                                                                            | 2293.44                                                                            | 2988.3712                                                          | 1567.68                                                            |

## Annexure A

EXPENDITURE