**Summary:**
India's Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is pursuing a closed nuclear fuel cycle to maximize the utilization of domestic uranium and thorium resources for long-term energy security. This approach involves reprocessing spent nuclear fuel (SNF) to recover and recycle fissile and fertile materials, minimizing high-level radioactive waste.
The program focuses on utilizing domestic uranium in Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and using plutonium from reprocessed PHWR fuel in Fast Breeder Reactors. Thorium will be used to breed Uranium-233, which will then be used as fuel. Reprocessing facilities are operational for domestic nuclear spent fuel from PHWRs. A Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) integrated nuclear reprocessing plant for fast reactor fuel is under construction at Kalpakkam.
Research and Development (R&D) on thorium utilization remains a high priority for the DAE, conducted primarily at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and other affiliated research organizations. Achievements include:
* Use of Thorium Oxide (Thoria) pellets in initial PHWR cores.
* Reprocessing of irradiated Thoria pins from research reactors to obtain Uranium-233.
* Operation of the KAMINI reactor at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) at Kalpakkam, the only reactor in the world using Uranium-233 fuel.
* Establishment of technologies for fabricating Thoria-based fuel pellets containing Uranium-233.
Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. (UCIL), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the DAE, is expanding uranium mining and processing capacity. Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a unit of DAE, is exploring and evaluating uranium and thorium resources. AMD has established 433,800 tonnes of in-situ U3O8 resource across 47 uranium deposits and 1.18 million tonnes of thorium oxide (ThO2) resource within 13.15 million tonnes of in-situ monazite across 136 deposits. Additionally, 29,900 tonnes of in-situ ThO2 resource in hard rocks has been identified.
This information was provided by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Atomic Energy: The Indian government department responsible for nuclear energy research and development.
Closed Nuclear Fuel Cycle: A nuclear fuel cycle that involves reprocessing spent nuclear fuel to recover fissile and fertile materials for reuse.
Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors: A type of nuclear reactor that uses heavy water as a moderator and coolant.
Fast Breeder Reactors: A type of nuclear reactor that breeds more fissile material than it consumes.
Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor: An under construction fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre: A premier Indian nuclear research facility.
Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research: An Indian nuclear research center focusing on fast reactor technology.
Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research: A unit of the Department of Atomic Energy responsible for uranium and thorium exploration.
Department of Atomic Energy
PARLIAMENT QUESTION:CLOSED FUEL CYCLE
TECHNOLOGY
Posted On: 06 AUG 2025 4:37PM by PIB Delhi
India follows a Closed Nuclear Fuel Cycle, aligned with its three-stage nuclear power programme in order to
optimally utilize India’s limited uranium resources and to exploit its large thorium reserves for long term
energy security. It involves the recovery and recycling of fissile and fertile material from spent nuclear fuel
(SNF), rather than disposing of it as waste. This approach enables enhanced utilization of nuclear material
resources, improves energy security, and minimizes high-level radioactive waste volumes. The programme
aims to use domestic uranium in the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and use plutonium
obtained from the reprocessing of spent fuel of PHWRs in Fast Breeder Reactors. Large scale use of thorium
will subsequently follow, first to breed Uranium-233 from Th-232 and then utilize U-233 as fuel.
Reprocessing facilities are operationalized for reprocessing domestic nuclear spent fuel from PHWRs. For
realization of the second stage of the nuclear power programme, Fast Breeder Test Reactor and other facilities
were established for material research and proof of design concepts. Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR)
& integrated nuclear reprocessing plant for fast reactor fuel is under construction at Kalpakkam.
Research on thorium utilization for the third stage of the closed fuel cycle continues to be a high priority
R&D area of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). In this regard, necessary R&D is being carried out in
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and other research organisations attached with DAE. Some
important highlights of these achievements and activities are the following:
i. Thorium Oxide (Thoria) pellets contained in bundles have been used in the initial cores of PHWRs and
valuable experience has been generated in operation and re-use of this irradiated thorium fuel. Thoria based
fuels have also been irradiated in the research reactors of BARC. After such irradiation, these fuel elements
have been examined in the laboratories at BARC for post-irradiation studies.
ii. The irradiated Thoria pins of research reactors have been reprocessed to obtain Uranium-233. The
recovered Uranium-233 has been fabricated as fuel for the 30kW (thermal) KAMINI reactor, which is in
operation at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) at Kalpakkam. This is the only reactor in
the world operating with Uranium-233 fuel.
iii. The technologies for fabrication of Thoria based fuel pellets, carrying Uranium 233, have been established
at laboratory scale.
Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. ( UCIL ) a Public Sector Undertaking ( PSU ) under Department of
Atomic Energy (DAE) has been mandated to mine and process uranium ore in the country. In line with
DAE’s requirement of uranium to fuel nuclear power plants, UCIL has outlined a plan for expansion which
includes maintaining sustained supply from existing facilities through debottlenecking of certain
deficiencies, modernization and capacity expansion of some existing units.
Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of Department of
Atomic Energy (DAE), has the mandate to identify, evaluate and augment mineral resources of uranium and
thorium in the country.
To strengthen the country's nuclear fuel security and speedy augmentation of these resources, AMD is
carrying out integrated and multi-disciplinary exploration (including heliborne and ground geophysical
surveys, ground geological, geochemical and radiometric surveys and drilling) in identified thrust areas of the
country by utilising state-of-the-art technology.As on date, AMD has established 4,33,800t in-situ U3O8 resource in 47 uranium deposits located in Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand,
Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Besides, the Directorate has established 1.18 million tonne (Mt) thorium oxide (ThO2) resource contained in
13.15 Mt in-situ monazite (a mineral containing thorium) resource in 136 deposits associated with the coastal
beach and inland placers located in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat,
West Bengal and Jharkhand. In addition, 29,900t in-situ ThO2 resource in hard rocks has been established
incidental to the rare earth oxide resource in the state of Gujarat.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science
and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of
Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2153079)