New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS): India would require an estimated 5,057 tonnes of uranium during the 12th Five Year Plan period from 2012-2017, union Minister V. Narayanasamy said Wednesday.
This would include 318 tonnes of low enriched uranium for the Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) 1&2 and the Kudankulam 1&2 units, Narayanasamy, who is minister of state in the prime minister's office (PMO), said in reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
The minister informed the Lok Sabha that as part of a long-term uranium procurement policy, there were agreements with Russia and Kazakhstan. These would involve the import of 1,375 tonnes of natural uranium dioxide pellets from Russia and 1,150 tonnes of natural uranium ore concentrate from Kazakhstan.
While invoking "public interest" in declining to disclose the amount of uranium being produced within the country, Narayanasamy referred to reports of the Australian government's statement lifting the ban on the export of uranium to India.
However, "no formal communication has been received by the Government of India from Australia, so far", the minister said.
He added that "it is not possible, as yet, to provide the time by which uranium for our reactors would be available from Australia".
On Dec 4, Australia's ruling Labor Party representatives passed a motion to remove a ban on uranium exports to India after a passionate debate on the issue that saw sharp divisions in the cabinet.
The issue had also come up when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met his Australian counterpart Julia Gillard in Bali on the sidelines of the India-Asean and East Asia summits.
In reply to other questions, the Lok Sabha was told that India had endorsed the recommended Action Plan on Nuclear Safety (APNS) prepared by the International Atomic Energy Agency in the wake of Fukushima accident in Japan.
The APNS was endorsed at the 55th IAEA General Conference in September 2011.
The Minister said that government has taken a decision to invite IAEA 's Operational Safety Review Team (OSART) and Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) for the peer review of safety of nuclear power plants and that of the regulatory system.
The Centre was in touch with the IAEA for scheduling the visit of OSART team in 2012,