Lok Sabha Question No. 3710 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-08-12
Subject: Uranium Production
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: G. HARI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3710

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.08.2015

## URANIUM PRODUCTION

3710.  SHRI  G. HARI:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the production  of Uranium has far exceeded the country's annual fuel requirement of 650 MT for the Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors, which means the country has surplus nuclear fuel that will last several months,  and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether every 700 MW of reactor needs 125 MT of uranium every year, and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether with the rising number of power reactors in the country, the demand of uranium is expected to rise; and
- (d) if so, the measures taken by the Government in this regard ?

## ANSWER

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

(e)

- (a) During the period 2014-15, the Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), Hyderabad, a constituent unit of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) produced 1252 Metric Tonnes (MT) of natural uranium based nuclear  fuel for the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors, both under IAEA safeguards (using imported uranium) and also those under domestic safeguards (using indigenous uranium).  The production  is  higher  than  the  total  quantity  needed  for  meeting  the  annual requirement.
- (b) Yes, Sir.  The fuel requirement of an indigenous 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water  Reactor  (PHWR)  is  about  125  tonnes  of  UO2  (natural  uranium)  per annum
- (c)      Yes, Sir.

- (d) Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit  of  Department of  Atomic  Energy  (DAE),  has  identified  large resources  of  uranium  in  India  especially  in  Andhra  Pradesh,  Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Rajasthan and Telangana. Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL)  a  Public  Sector  Enterprise  under  Department  of  Atomic  Energy  is engaged in mining and is  operating seven uranium mines and two process plants  in  Jharkhand.  Some  of  these  are  under  capacity  augmentation  to increase production. A large  underground  mine and process plant at Tummalapalle in Andhra Pradesh has been constructed.   In addition, a new underground mine and plant at Gogi in Karnataka, open pit mine at Kylleng Pyndensohiong  Mawathabah(KPM)  in  Meghalaya,  one  open  pit  and  three underground mines at Lambapur in Andhra Pradesh, and one uranium mining project in Sikar district of Rajasthan are in different stages of implementation.

Consequent upon India signing the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement with United  States  of  America  on  10.10.2008,  the  Department  of  Atomic  Energy (DAE) has been importing Uranium ore to meet fuel requirements of Nuclear Reactors  under  IAEA  Safeguards.    As  part  of  this  activity,  Contractual Agreements  for  import  of  uranium  were  signed  with  M/s.  Navoi  Mining  & Metallurgical Combinat State Company (NMMC), Uzbekistan, M/s. JSC TVEL Corporation, Russia, M/s.NAC Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan and M/s. CAMECO, Canada.

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