Lok Sabha Question No. 670 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-20
Subject: Safety Norms for NPPs
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: BHAVANA GAWALI (PATIL)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 670 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2016

## SAFETY NORMS FOR NPPs

## 670.   SHRIMATI BHAVANA PUNDALIKRAO GAWALI PATIL:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether all Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) in the country are set up as per the safety   norms fixed  by  International  Atomic  Energy  Agency  (IAEA) and  if  so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether indigenous uranium is being used in all these plants as fuel and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the names of the countries from where uranium is being imported for these Nuclear Plants?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) All nuclear power plants in India are set up in line with the safety norms laid down by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). AERB safety norms are  generally  in  line  with  those  of  the  International  Atomic  Energy  Agency (IAEA).
- (b) No,  Sir.    There  are  currently  twenty  one  (21)  reactors  with  an  installed capacity of 5780 MW. Of these, eight (8) reactors with aggregate capacity of 2400  MW  are  fuelled  by  indigenous  uranium.  The  remaining  thirteen  (13) reactors  with  a  capacity  of  3380  MW  are  under  IAEA  Safeguards  and  use imported uranium. In addition, one unit (Kudankulam Unit-2) has also attained first criticality (start of controlled self-sustaining nuclear fission chain reaction in the Reactor for the first time) on July 10, 2016. This unit also uses imported fuel.
- (c) Presently,  the  Uranium  is  being  imported  from  the  Russian  Federation, Canada  and  the  Republic  of  Kazakhstan.    The  details  of  the  quantity  of uranium imported so far and the anticipated supplies during the calendar year 2016 are furnished in the enclosed annexure.

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## Annexure

|   Sr. No. | Firm/Country                         | Date of entering into Contract   | Total Quantity to be procured as per Contract                                                                     | Total Quantity received till date   | Anticipated delivery in the year 2016   | Remarks                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------|--------------------------------------|----------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | M/s. AREVA, France                   | 17.12.2008                       | 300 MT of Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate .                                                                       | 299.88 MT                           | Nil                                     | The Contract concluded with one-time supply of the material during the year 2009.                                                           |
|         2 | M/s. JSC TVEL Corporation, Russia    | 11.02.2009                       | 2000 MT of Natural Uranium Oxide Pellets.                                                                         | 1813 MT                             | 187 MT                                  | The material is being procured through the Annual Supplements to the Contract. The Contract concludes with the import of 187 MT of Pellets. |
|         2 | M/s. JSC TVEL Corporation, Russia    | 11.02.2009                       | 58 MT of Enriched Uranium Oxide Pellets.                                                                          | 58.30 MT                            | Nil                                     | The Contract concluded with one-time supply of the material during the year 2009.                                                           |
|         2 | M/s. JSC TVEL Corporation, Russia    | 03.03.2015                       | 42 MT of Enriched Uranium Oxide Pellets.                                                                          | 42.15 MT                            | Nil                                     | The Contract concluded with one-time supply of the material during the year 2015.                                                           |
|         3 | 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 . | 250.74 MT                           | 1250 MT                                 | The material is to be procured during 2015-2020.                                                                                            |
|         4 | M/s. JSC NAC KazatomProm, Kazakhstan | 12.11.2009                       | 2100 MT of Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate .                                                                      | 2095.9 MT                           | Nil                                     | The Contract concluded during the year 2014.                                                                                                |
|         4 | M/s. JSC NAC KazatomProm, Kazakhstan | 08.07.2015                       | The Contract permits procurement of a minimum of 3750 MT and maximum 7000 MT of Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate . | 999.807 MT                          | 1500 MT                                 | The material is to be procured during 2015-2019.                                                                                            |

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