US has not provided uranium to India for decades

New Delhi:- The US has not provided uranium to India for the last several decades despite the Indo-US nuclear deal and the last time it fuelled reactors was in the initial days of the operation of two units of Tarapur Atomic Power Stations in Maharashtra, Lok Sabha was informed today.

“The United States of America had provided uranium to India during early years of operations of the Tarapur Atomic Power Stations (TAPS) 1 and 2.

“However, no uranium has been supplied by the USA in the recent times for India’s civil nuclear power stations,” Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office that looks after the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), said in a written response to a question Lok Sabha.

TAPS units 1 and 2, the first lot of which started its operation in 1969, are the only Boiling Water Reactors in the country. The US stopped providing uranium to India after it undertook its first nuclear test in 1974.

These reactors use enriched uranium. The only other commercially operating reactor that uses enriched uranium is Kudankulam unit 1. The indigenously developed Pressure Heavy Water Reactors don’t require enriched uranium.

As per the Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation agreement, the US will ensure supply of uranium to India’s civilian reactors. India also has planned 12 reactors in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

Singh added that at present Russia, Canada and Kazakhstan supply uranium for civil nuclear power plants.

PTI