Efforts on to acquire uranium assets abroad: Plan panel

India is making efforts to acquire uranium assets in Kazakhstan and Mongolia to bridge gaps in the supply of fuel for its nuclear power plants, Planning Commission said here today.

"Efforts to conclude agreements of cooperation with several other countries such as Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Namibia to enable import of uranium and acquire uranium assets are at various stages of progress," the panel said.

This was mentioned in a document on Integrated Energy Policy (IEP) placed before the meeting of the Full Planning Commission chaired by prime minister Manmohan Singh today.

Negotiations with Kazakhstan on supply of natural uranium have reached an "advanced stage", it stated.

India yesterday signed an agreement with Namibia on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The pact is an umbrella agreement that includes sale of uranium to India.

The document on IEP noted that the Department of Atomic Energy has signed Memoranda of Understanding, fuel supply agreements and cooperation pacts with the US, France and Russia.

It noted that MoUs have been signed by the state-run Nuclear Power Corporation with Westinghouse Electric Company and General Electric for setting up 1100 MW and 1300 MW reactors respectively in the country.