Ritual ceremony heralds construction of U plant

[Times of India, 11 August; Thomson Financial, 8 August] A bhumi puja, or ritual ground breaking ceremony, performed by the chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission, Anil Kakodkar, has formally marked the start of work on a new uranium processing plant at Tummalapalle in the Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. The $269 million mine and mill project is expected to produce 220 tU per year after commissioning in 2010. According to reports of a recent statement by the Indian Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, the country has approved plans to invest Rs2 billion (about $47 million) in prospecting and exploration to extend uranium resources. A shortage of indigenous uranium is hampering the development of India's nuclear power programme, with nuclear power plants running at about half of capacity due to a shortage of fuel. Several new reactors have had start-up dates postponed due to the fuel shortage. However, some easing this year is likely due to the new Turamdih mill in Jharkhand state coming on line soon (the mine there is already operating). As a non-signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), India cannot currently buy uranium from other countries.