Lok Sabha Question No. 2882 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-03
Subject: Thorium Based Nuclear Power Programmes
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2882

TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08.2016

## THORIUM BASED NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAMMES

2882.  SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) the present status of installation of thorium based three stage nuclear power programme;
- (b) whether  collaborations  have  been  made  with  other  countries  for  Research and  Development  of  thorium  based  nuclear  reactors  and  if  so,  the  details thereof and the outcome thereto;
- (c) the details of funds being allotted for Research and Development in thorium based reactors; and
- (d) the future prospects of thorium based nuclear programmes in the country?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The Government is committed to implement the third stage of Indian Nuclear Power  Programme,  after  an  adequate  nuclear  installed  capacity  has  been reached based on Fast Breeder Reactors to be set up in the second stage. On  account  of  non-existence  of  any  fissile  isotope  in  naturally  occurring Thorium (unlike that existing in Uranium), commercial utilisation of Thorium, on  a  significant  scale,  can  begin  only  when  abundant  supply  of  either Uranium-233 or Plutonium resources are available. Upon the launch, followed by a significant growth of a thorium based nuclear programme in this manner, it could be  possible to maintain the achieved  level of  nuclear  power programme  with  thorium  alone,  without  additional  demands  on  uranium  or plutonium  resources.  Therefore, considering the meagre domestic uranium resources in the country, it  is feasible  to  start  a  significant  commercial  level Thorium  based  reactor  programme  in  our  country  only  after  an  adequate inventory of Plutonium and   Uranium-233    becomes    available   from   our

Fast  Breeder  Reactors,  comprising  the  second  stage  of  Indian  nuclear programme. Accordingly, the utilisation of Thorium as a practically inexhaustible energy source has been contemplated during the third stage of the Indian nuclear programme, which can be reached after a few decades.

Efforts are currently on to enlarge the present thorium related R&D work and activities  to  a  bigger  scale  and  towards  development  of  technologies  for shaping the third stage of our nuclear power programme.

- (b) No, Sir.
- (c) An amount of ` 292 crore has been allocated for Thorium research from 2007 to 2019.
- (d) The long term plan is to use thorium reactors to meet substantial percentage of energy demand of the country. The target of third stage of nuclear power programme is to  deploy  Thorium  based  reactors  in  large  numbers  that  has potential to make the country independent as far as power is concerned. After attaining the required level of installed capacity in the third stage, it would be possible  to  maintain  the  achieved  level  of  nuclear  power  programme  with thorium alone, without additional demands on uranium or plutonium resources.  As  a  long  term  plan,  the  department  is  working  on  technology development for molten salt breeder reactors where Thorium will be used as fuel. In addition long term plan also includes development of High Temperature Reactors (HTRs) with Thorium based fuel for producing hydrogen as an alternate transport energy carrier.

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