(a) whether the Government have recently formulated a three-stage nuclear power programme to provide long- term energy security to the country based on indige- nous nuclear fuel resources;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the stage at which it stands at present?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENTS OF ATOMIC ENERGY AND SPACE (SHRIMATI VASUNDHARA RAJE)
(a) The Indian nuclear power programme, right from the inception, has been envisaged as a three stage programme, in order to provide long term energy security to the country, based on indigenous nuclear fuel resources.
(b) The details of the three stages are as under:
Stage I : Setting up of natural Uranium fuelled thermal reactors (mainly Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors - PHWRs) for power generation and production of plutonium.
Stage II : Setting up of plutonium fuelled Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR) for power generation, production of plutonium in the natural Uranium blankets.
Stage III : Setting up of Uranium 233/ Thorium fuelled reactors for utilizing the vast thorium resources to enable significant quantum of electricity generation.