Integrated planning for a fuel industry, with emphasis on the minimum size appropriate for fabricating one's own fuel

The Indian nuclear energy programme is based on the utilization of indigenous resources for the economic generation of power, developing its own know-how. To gain time, the first nuclear power station at Tarapur is a turn-key job based on enriched uranium fuel. Taking into consideration India's established resources of uranium and thorium, a strategy for a nuclear power programme has been drawn up. The first phase is based on natural uranium fuel, the second on the recycle of plutonium and conversion of thorium, and the third is the breeder system based on utilization of 233U and conversion of thorium. After the experience gained with the manufacture of metallic uranium fuel for research reactors and about 40 tonnes of fuel for initial loading of the Rajasthan reactor, the fuel manufacturing programme has been implemented to meet the entire initial and reload fuel requirements. Further, planning for an integrated fuel and component manufacturing complex offsets any drawbacks. At the Nuclear Fuel Complex, set up on the above principles, production plants are in operation for the manufacture of reload fuel for the 400-MW Tarapur station, natural uranium oxide fuel, various Zircaloy components such as fuel sheaths, pressure tubes, calandria tubes, channels etc. Provisions have been made to expand the production facilities as the demand for reload fuel grows. With the facilities provided, the production programme can be diversified to take up the production of fast breeder reactor components of stainless steel and the blanket thorium elements. (author)