The domestic availability of mined uranium is currently inadequate to meet the requirements of the existing nuclear power plants and production of the element in the country would be augmented, the government informed the Lok Sabha today.
In a written reply, Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh said, "Domestic availability of mined uranium is currently inadequate to meet the entire requirement of running of the existing NPPs at full generating capacity."
He said in the coming years, augmentation of uranium production in the country will be carried out by maximising production from the existing facilities through Uranium Corporation of India Ltd (UCIL), a PSU under the control of Department of Atomic Energy.
"Setting up new production facilities in different parts of the country (Tummalapalle and Kanampalle in Andhra Pradesh, Gogi in Karnataka, Kylleng Pyndensohing in Meghalaya, Lambapur-Peddagattu in Telangana and Rohil in Rajasthan). Most of these units are expected to commence production in the next 20 years.
"Seven uranium mines are in operation in the state of Jharkhand, and one uranium mine at Tummalapalle in Andhra Pradesh is close to commissioning," Singh said.
While carrying out the mining, the UCIL did not find any adverse impact or any health hazard, he said.
"UCIL has been undertaking its activities in line with well laid out health, safety and environment management system and it is being monitored by in house and external experts such from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, AERB and teams from Patna Medical College, Tata Main Hospital in Jamshedpur.
"BARC and UCIL have conducted health surveys around UCIL facilities in Jaduguda area and have found no adverse impact due to uranium mining," Singh said.
