Question : Import of Uranium

(a) whether the Government has signed any MoU with foreign countries for the import of Uranium and other Nuclear Fuel;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the quantity of uranium imported from various countries and the expenditure incurred thereon during each of the last three years and the current year;

(c) whether there is shortage of fuel for Atomic/Nuclear Power plants in the country;

(d) if so, the reasons therefor; and

(e) the time by which the country is likely to become self-dependent in the field of atomic/Nuclear fuel?

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

(a) Yes Sir.

(b) At present, Directorate of Purchase and Stores (DPS), a constituent unit of the Department of Atomic Energy has signed contracts with firms from Kazakhstan and Canada for supply of Natural Uranium Ore concentrate. Apart from these ongoing contracts, DPS completed the execution of contracts with firms from France and Kazakhstan for supply of Natural Uranium Ore concentrate and with firms from Russia for supply of Natural Uranium di Oxide pellets and enriched Uranium di Oxide pellets.

The details of imported uranium and expenditure incurred thereon during the last three years and the current year is as under:-

Sl.No. Agency Description Year Quantity Expenditure
received in incurred
MTU (in crore)

1 M/S JSC NAC, Uranium Ore 2016-17 1923.663 893.76
Kazatomprom, Concentrate 2017-18 1489.999 592.44
Kazakhstan 2018-19 392.753 0.17*

2 M/s CAMECO Uranium Ore 2015-16 250.743 158.28
Inc., Canada Concentrate 2016-17 1233.681 534.51
2017-18 989.452 373.83

3 M/s JSC Enriched 2015-16 42.150 303.65
TVEL, Russia Uranium Pellets
Fuel Pellets of 2015-16 303.787 565.13
Natural Uranium
Di-oxide 2016-17 187.334 395.32


*1. No payment has been made as bills have not been received for the materials
2. Clearance and container transportation charges Rs.17,00,000/-.


(c) No, Sir. The Government has provided fuel from both indigenous and imported sources in required quantities for operation of nuclear power reactors at their rated power.

(d) Does not arise in view of (c) above.

(e) As per the vision plan prepared, in order to fulfil the requirement of Uranium to fuel nuclear power plants, Department of Atomic Energy will achieve nearly ten-fold rise in uranium production in next 15 years (by 2031-2032). The uranium mining projects have been planned in three phases. On completion of the projects in first phase, it is expected to produce 3.5 times of existing uranium production by the 12th year. On completion of the projects in second phase, uranium production is expected to achieve seven times of existing production. With the completion of phase three projects uranium production of the country is expected to record ten-fold increase by 2031-32.

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