Nuclear Energy In India

Industry Information Insights 2014

Table of Contents

Introduction

Nuclear Fission Reaction

Nuclear Power Plant

Nuclear Reactor Types

Nuclear Power Capacity

Imported Fuel For Nuclear Power

Domestic Nuclear Fuel

Uranium Reserves

Thorium Reserves

Electricity Generation

Fast Breeder Reactors

FDI In Nuclear Power Sector

Nuclear Spent Fuel

Uranium Imports

Introduction

Nuclear power plants convert the energy released from the nucleus of an atom via nuclearfission that takes place in a nuclear reactor. The change in the mass of the particle representsthe release of energy.

The heat is removed from the reactor core by a cooling system that uses the heat to generatesteam, which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator producing electricity.

Electricity was generated by a nuclear reactor for the first time ever on 3 September, 1948 atthe X-10 Graphite Reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the United States, and was the firstnuclear power plant to power a light bulb.

Introduction

A nuclear reactor produces and controls the release of energy from splitting the atoms ofuranium.

In the reactor core the U-235 isotope fissions or splits, producing a lot of heat in a continuousprocess called a chain reaction. The process depends on the presence of a moderator such aswater or graphite, and is fully controlled.

The moderator slows down the neutrons produced by fission of the uranium nuclei so thatthey go on to produce more fissions.

Nuclear Fission Reaction

Components of Nuclear Power Plant

• Nuclear Reactor

• Heat Exchanger (Steam Generator)

• Steam Turbine

• Condenser

• Electric Generator

• Cooling Tower

Nuclear Reactor Types

• PHWR: Pressurized Heavy water Reactor

• FBR: Fast Breeder Reactor

• AHWR: Advanced Heavy Water Reactor

• LWR: Light Water Reactor

A pressurized heavy-water reactor (PHWR) commonly uses unenriched natural uranium asits fuel, that uses heavy water (deuterium oxide D2O) as its coolant and moderator. Theheavy-water coolant is kept under pressure, allowing it to be heated to higher temperatureswithout boiling.

The advanced heavy-water reactor (AHWR) is the latest Indian design for a next-generationnuclear reactor that burns thorium in its fuel core. It is slated to form the third stage in India'sthree-stage fuel-cycle plan. This phase of the fuel cycle plan is supposed to be built startingwith a 300 MW prototype in 2016.

Nuclear Power Capacity

The present nuclear power capacity of 4780 MW is expected to reach 10,080 MW onprogressive completion of nuclear power projects under construction.

The XII Five Year Plan includes start of work on nineteen new nuclear power reactors with atotal capacity of 17,400 MW.

The projected nuclear power capacity of 63,000 MW by the year 2032 as envisaged in theIntegrated Energy Policy was based on capacity addition from a mix of indigenous as well asforeign technology based reactors.

Imported Fuel For Nuclear Power

Currently, the country has 20 nuclear power reactors under commercial operation with aninstalled generating capacity of 4780 MW.

Under the separation plan, ten of commercially operating reactors are currently placed underInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and are eligible for imported fuel.

These reactors are RAPS 1 to 6 located at Rawatbhata, Rajasthan; KAPS 1&2 at Kakrapar,Gujarat and TAPS 1&2 at Tarapur, Maharashtra.

Of these, one reactor, RAPS-1 located at Rawatbhata, Rajasthan (100 MW) is under extendedshutdown for techno-economic assessment.

The remaining nine reactors normally operate at their full capacity. In addition, KK1&2 atKudankulam, Tamil Nadu are also under IAEA safeguards.

The uranium for the reactors under IAEA safeguards is imported from Russian Federation,Kazakhstan, France and Uzbekistan.

Domestic Nuclear Fuel

Ten nuclear power reactors - KGS 1 to 4 located at Kaiga, Karnataka; NAPS 1 & 2 at Narora,Uttar Pradesh; MAPS 1 & 2 at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu; and TAPS 3 & 4 at Tarapur,Maharashtra use indigenous uranium.

Due to a mismatch between demand and supply of domestic Uranium, the total powergenerated by these reactors is generally lower than their gross installed capacity of 2,840 MW.

Domestic availability of mined uranium is currently inadequate to meet the entirerequirements of running of the existing nuclear power plants at full generating capacity.

Uranium Reserves

Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit ofDepartment of Atomic Energy (DAE) is engaged in survey, prospecting & explorationactivities for uranium deposits in various parts of the country.

Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL) exploits identified uranium resources in the country.

As of May, 2014, AMD has established 2,11,473 tonne in situ Uranium oxide (U3O8)(equivalent to 1,79,329 tonnes of Uranium) reserves in different states in India.

State-wise Uranium Reserves

State U3O8 (Tonnes) U (Tonnes)

Andhra Pradesh 91540 77625

Telangana 18550 15731

Jharkhand 61118 51828

Meghalaya 21180 17961

Rajasthan 8393 7117

Karnataka 4682 3970

Chhattisgarh 3986 3380

Uttar Pradesh 785 666

Uttarakhand 100 85

Himachal Pradesh 784 665

Maharashtra 355 301

Total 211473 179329

Thorium Reserves

The Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit ofDepartment of Atomic Energy (DAE), has so far established 11.93 million tonnes of monazite(Thorium bearing mineral) in India, which contains about 1.07 million tonnes of thorium.

Monazite is the only commercially available mineral in India as a source of thorium. It isfound in the beach sands of coastal India.

Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), a Central Public Sector Undertaking wholly owned by theGovernment of India, under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energyis engaged in mining and mineral separation of beach sand minerals. IREL producesmonazite in its plant at Manavalakurichi in Tamil Nadu, Chavara in Kerala and OSCOM inOdisha.

State-wise Monazite Reserves

State Monazite (Million tonnes)

Odisha 2.41

Andhra Pradesh 3.72

Tamil Nadu 2.46

Kerala 1.9

West Bengal 1.22

Jharkhand 0.22

Total 11.93

Electricity Generation

The target of nuclear energy generation in the XI Five Year Plan was 163,395 million units(MUs), which was revised to 124,608 MUs at Mid-Term Appraisal stage.

The actual generation in the XI Five Year Plan was 109,642 MUs. The shortfall in generationwas on account of non-availability of indigenous uranium in the required quantity, delay infruition of international cooperation resulting in delay in availability of imported uraniumand revision of completion schedule of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) andPrototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) projects to XII Five Year Plan.

Fast Breeder Reactors

Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) help multifold enhancement in the nuclear power generationcapacity in the country not only by not requiring mined uranium for their fuel, but alsoproducing surplus plutonium (a man made nuclear fuel material produced in nuclearreactors) that can meet lifetime fuel requirements of these reactors and also provide fuel forinitial load of additional FBRs. FBRs provide the essential pathway to enable full deploymentof vast thorium resources in the third stage of nuclear power programme, to meet substantialpart of the Indian energy needs for several centuries.

The 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) being constructed at Kalpakkam is inadvanced stage of construction and commissioning.

At present Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (BHAVINI), a public sectorundertaking under Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is constructing one 500 MWPrototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. Being first of its kindreactor in the country, several technological challenges are being encountered during theequipment manufacture and construction; and BHAVINI has been successfully overcomingthese challenges through indigenous research efforts.

FDI in Nuclear Power Sector

There have been suggestions made to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in nuclear powergeneration sector. The economic survey 2008-09 had suggested allowing FDI in nuclearpower generation sector with a cap of 49%. However, no decision in this regard has beentaken.

The present policy puts atomic energy in the list of prohibited sectors. However, there is norestriction on FDI in the nuclear industries for manufacturing of equipment and providingother supplies for nuclear power plants and related other facilities.

Nuclear Spent Fuel

About 640 tonnes of spent fuel was generated in the year 2012-13 from nuclear powergeneration. India has adopted a closed fuel cycle option, which involves reprocessing andrecycling of the spent fuel. During reprocessing, 2-3% of the spent fuel becomes waste andthe rest is recycled.

A three step strategy is adopted in India for management of High Level Liquid Waste. Thisinvolves:

1. Immobilizing high level liquid waste into inert solid vitreous (glass) matrix. This processof converting high level liquid waste into solidified glass matrix is called “vitrification”.

2. Interim storage and cooling of these vitrified waste products in specially designed storagevaults for a period of 40 to 50 years. This is to dissipate the heat generated on account ofdecay of fission products associated with these waste products.

3. After 40 to 50 years of storage, these cooled vitrified waste are disposed of in geologicaldisposal facility (GDF).

Uranium Imports

Import of uranium or thorium ores and concentrates and radioactive chemical elements andradioactive isotopes (including the fissile or fertile chemical elements and isotopes) and theircompounds; mixtures and residues containing these products is restricted and requiresauthorization from Directorate General of Foreign Trade and, further, are subject to theprovisions of Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and rules made thereunder.

Contracts have been signed with France, Russia and Kazakhstan for supply of Uranium.

France: 300 MT of Uranium Ore Concentrates.

Russia: 2000 MT Natural Uranium Oxide Pellets spread over a period of five to six years and58 MT of enriched Uranium Dioxide Pellets.

Kazakhstan: 2100 MT of Natural Uranium Ore Concentrate, spread over six years.

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