PM dedicates Tarapur atomic fuel reprocessing plant to India

TARAPUR (Commodity Online): As a milestone in the 3 stage nuclear programme to meet country’s current and future energy security needs, Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today dedicated the 100 tonne annual capacity nuclear fuel reprocessing plant to the nation at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Tarapur in Maharashtra.

The Prime Minister said that this will help fulfill the energy security needs of the country. He also said that the nuclear energy programme is an outstanding example of clean development and it will provide clean, safe and economical energy for the country’s development needs.

The prime Minister said the recycling and optimum utilization of uranium is essential to meet country’s current and future energy security needs. He said the plant is also essential for the transition from the first to the second stage of the programme for building fast breeder reactors to produce sustainable and clean energy for the country.

He also emphasized that the reprocessing plant is essential for thorium utilisation.

Congratulating the Scientists and engineers for designing and building the very complex and state of the art facility at Tarapore, the Prime Minister said that this goes to show that once Indians make up their minds, they can achieve anything.

The Prime Minister said that reprocessing spent fuel will also assure that India is better able to manage the wastes which are the by-products of the nuclear fuel cycle. He said reprocessing of spent fuel is therefore the key to our 3 stage indigenous nuclear power programme.

The Prime Minister said that Tarapur site is home to the oldest boiling water reactors in the world and India has built its own reactors and has subsequently added the entire phase of facilities covering the entire fuel cycle from fuel fabrication to reprocessing and waste immobilisation.

The Prime Minister Emphasised that in the years to come India has to realize the full potential of atomic energy and pay great attention to capacity building , training and nurturing young and fresh talent.

He said that given the advanced status of the indigenous programme and capabilities of Indian scientists and engineers, India can now confidently utilise the new opportunities that have been created with the opening up of international co-operation in the field of nuclear energy.