Answer: 

Introduction:

India currently has a total installed nuclear power capacity of 6,780 MW, which accounts for around 2% of the country’s total power generation capacity. The government has set a target to increase this capacity to 22,480 MW by 2031, with several new nuclear power plants under construction or planned for construction.

Body:

The increasing scarcity of fossil fuels has led to a greater reliance on nuclear energy worldwide, and India is no exception. It is crucial to examine the availability of raw materials required for the generation of atomic energy both in India and globally.

Uranium reserves:

• India has significant reserves of uranium, a key raw material required for the generation of atomic energy. The country is estimated to have around 70,000 tonnes of uranium, primarily located in the states of Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, and Meghalaya.
• The uranium reserves in India are considered to be of medium to high-grade, and efforts are being made to increase uranium exploration and mining in the country. Australia, Canada, and Kazakhstan have large uranium reserves and are major producers of uranium, supplying it to countries such as the USA, France, and China.

Thorium reserves:

• India has significant reserves of thorium, another raw material used in the generation of atomic energy. India is estimated to have around 25% of the world’s thorium reserves, primarily located in the beach sands of the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Odisha.
• The country’s vast thorium reserves offer significant potential for the development of a thorium-based nuclear power program.

Challenges in raw material availability:

• India has significant reserves of uranium and thorium, there are challenges associated with the availability of these raw materials.
• Uranium mining in India faces several regulatory and environmental challenges, which have resulted in delays and a slower pace of exploration and mining.
• India’s thorium-based nuclear program is still in the research and development stage, and there are challenges associated with the commercial-scale deployment of thorium-based reactors.

Conclusion:

India has significant reserves of uranium, it still relies on imports to meet its requirements. Moreover, the production of nuclear energy raises concerns regarding the safe disposal of nuclear waste. Therefore, the development of alternative sources of energy remains a pressing need.

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