New Delhi : India’s planned expansion of nuclear power capacity could sharply increase the country’s uranium requirement, with future Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) alone expected to need around 5,400 tonnes of uranium oxide annually, while domestic production currently meets only about 30 per cent of that requirement, according to a Parliamentary panel.
The Committee on Public Undertakings, in its report on the performance of Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), highlighted India’s continued dependence on imported uranium and called for faster expansion of domestic production to ensure long-term fuel security.
“Given that future PHWR expansions will require approximately 5,400 tonnes of U3O8 per annum, and domestic output currently satisfies about 30% of this baseline, accelerating domestic production remains an essential priority for comprehensive fuel assurance,” the committee said.
India currently imports uranium from Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Canada. A long-term supply agreement with Uzbekistan is valid until 2026.
The panel welcomed a proposed joint venture between Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) and NTPC to acquire stakes in overseas uranium assets, saying the move could help secure long-term supplies and reduce exposure to international market fluctuations.
However, it sought clear timelines from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) on the proposed venture, future uranium sourcing plans and the participation of Mine Developer-cum-Operators in domestic uranium production.
The committee also stressed the need to build strategic uranium reserves to safeguard reactor operations against possible disruptions in global supplies. It said stockpiles should be calibrated according to reactor refuelling cycles and outage risks.
India has around 4.31 lakh tonnes of established uranium oxide resources, according to the report. Of the roughly 80,423 tonnes transferred to UCIL, around 39.22 per cent has already been depleted. At current production rates, the remaining resources could last about 40 years if no new reserves are added.
The DAE told the panel that UCIL plans to double uranium production by expanding existing mines and developing new mining projects in Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.
The issue assumes importance as India accelerates its nuclear expansion programme. NPCIL currently operates 25 reactors with a combined capacity of 8,780 MW, while another 17 reactors with a total capacity of 13,100 MW are under various stages of execution.
The government has set a target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, with NPCIL expected to account for nearly half of the planned capacity.
