The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Second uranium plant coming up at Thummalapalle

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Monday, Nov 19, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Second uranium plant coming up at Thummalapalle

M.V. Subramanyam

KADAPA: A uranium mining and processing plant being set up at Thummalapalle in Vemula mandal in Pulivendula constituency at a cost of Rs. 1,106.25 crore is the second uranium plant in the country, after Jaduguda in Jharkand.

The uranium plant with a production capacity of 3,000 metric tonnes a day, is expected to be ready in 36 months from now.

Underground mining would be done in Thummalapalle while eastern, western and central decline tunnels would be built, as against the open cast mining in Jaduguda.

Uranium deposit of 44.48 million tonnes is available and 26.79 million tonnes can be mined in the next three decades, according to A. Madhusudana Rao, chemical engineer of Uranium Corporation of India Limited.

A uranium processing plant would come up with an outlay of Rs. 300 crore. The mining and processing plant required 2,400 acres , spread over Mabbuchintalapalle, Thummalapalle, Bhoomayapalle and Rachagudipalle in Vemula mandal. Of this, Government land of 1,200 acres has already been alienated to UCIL. In addition, 567 acres of private land has been acquired so far by paying compensation of Rs. 7.50 crore, he said.

The plant would draw water from Chitravathi balancing reservoir through a pipeline and would draw power from Pulivendula through a 132 kv electric line. Mining of uranium would produce sodium diuranate, which would be processed and sent to the Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) at Hyderabad. It would be reprocessed at NFC before being supplied to nuclear power plants.

Uranium of 2.50 specific gravity is being mined abroad, but uranium available in Vemula mandal is of 0.55 specific gravity, Mr. Rao said. As low grade uranium would be processed, it would not pose health hazards, he said.

Jaduguda mines are functioning for the past three decades and people are content at development of the area. Fears of public representatives and local people were dispelled after they visited Jaduguda, he said.

The plant would be built on International Atomic Energy Commission guidelines, he said.

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