New Uranium Mines and Fuel Plants to Strengthen India’s Nuclear Energy Program

The Government of India has announced a series of initiatives to boost indigenous uranium mining, nuclear fuel fabrication, and recycling facilities, marking a significant step toward self-reliance in nuclear energy under the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

The Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. (UCIL), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), is spearheading new mining projects. Plans include establishing a mine and mill with a capacity of 2,500 tonnes per day (TPD) at Rohil in Rajasthan’s Sikar district and another at the Jajwal Uranium Project in Chhattisgarh. Both projects are currently progressing through statutory clearances.

Parallelly, the Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), also under the DAE, continues to expand its fuel assembly fabrication capacity. NFC supplies uranium-based fuel to Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), which operates Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs). The expansion aligns with NPCIL’s reactor deployment program, ensuring steady domestic fuel supply.

In the domain of recycling and waste management, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and the Nuclear Recycle Board (NRB) are constructing large-scale integrated nuclear recycle facilities. The Integrated Nuclear Recycle Plant (INRP) at Tarapur and the Fast Reactor Fuel Cycle Facility (FRFCF) at Kalpakkam will handle spent fuel from domestic reactors and fabricate mixed oxide (MOx) fuels for fast breeder reactors.

According to Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, these initiatives will enhance India’s indigenous capacity for uranium mining, fuel fabrication, and nuclear waste management. The commissioning of new facilities is expected to ensure continuous availability of fuel for PHWRs and fast reactors, strengthening India’s long-term nuclear energy program.

This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.