Department of Atomic Energy (India)
Encyclopedia
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is a department directly under the Prime Minister of India
with headquartered in Mumbai
. The department is responsible for nuclear technology
, including nuclear power
and research
.
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
(NPCIL), Mumbai
was created in September 1987 as public limited company
under the Companies Act 1956, "with the objective of undertaking the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the atomic power stations for generation of electricity in pursuance of the schemes and programmes of the Government of India under the provision of the Atomic Energy Act 1962."
NPCIL
is the sole body responsible for constructing and operating India's commercial nuclear power plants. As of april 2011 the company had 20 nuclear reactor
s in operation at six locations, a total installed capacity of 4560 MWe
.
Indian Rare Earths Limited
(IREL) Mumbai
, a public sector undertaking [PSU] unit of DAE, process minerals to products which are not only of value to the Department, but also useful to other users in the country and outside. Nuclear Fuel Complex
(NFC) fabricates fuel and structural components for all operating power reactors, thorium blankets and structural components for FBTR. In the recent past, NFC developed special alloys for use in the space programme for the country - a major milestone in import substitution. NFC along with IRE has succeeded in producing pure zirconia crystal, popularly known as American diamonds.
The Heavy Water Board
designs, builds, operates its own heavy water plants which not only meet the country's requirements but have given India an export capability.
The Department of Atomic Energy has taken up the development of fast breeder reactors which enable utilising Thorium as fuel for power reactors. Simultaneously, it is proposed to set up high flux research reactors to develop new fuel designs in order to economise on the use of nuclear fuels. For augmenting uranium capacity, Uranium Corporation of India
will develop a new uranium mine at Domiasat in Meghalaya in the Ninth Plan
Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) was established to cater to the nuclear, radiological, instrumentation and control requirements for country's nuclear power programme. This was the first window of DAE for technology transfer in commercial and industrial electronics. At present 80 per cent of the products of this commercial venture serve core sectors of the nation like telecommunication, defence, space, steel, petrochemical and thermal power plants for their instrumentation and control computer application needs. ECIL has received the award for excellence in Strategic Electronics in 1994 from the Department of Electronics
Prime Minister of India
The Prime Minister of India , as addressed to in the Constitution of India — Prime Minister for the Union, is the chief of government, head of the Council of Ministers and the leader of the majority party in parliament...
with headquartered in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. The department is responsible for nuclear technology
Nuclear technology
Nuclear technology is technology that involves the reactions of atomic nuclei. Among the notable nuclear technologies are nuclear power, nuclear medicine, and nuclear weapons...
, including nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
and research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
.
Regulatory Board and Organization
- Atomic Energy Regulatory BoardAtomic Energy Regulatory BoardThe Atomic Energy Regulatory Board was constituted on November 15, 1983 by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act...
(AERB), MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India... - Atomic Energy CommissionAtomic Energy Commission of IndiaThe Atomic Energy Commission is a governing body functioning under the Department of Atomic Energy , Government of India. The DAE is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister.- History :...
(AEC) MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India... - Board of Radiation and Isotope TechnologyBoard of Radiation and Isotope TechnologyBoard of Radiation and Isotope Technology is a unit of the Department of Atomic Energy with headquartered in Mumbai. Its portfolio contains to consider and recommend for Government approval the Five Year Plans, Annual Plans and...
(BRIT), MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India... - Nuclear Power Corporation of IndiaNuclear Power Corporation of IndiaThe Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is a government-owned corporation of India based in Mumbai. One of the public sector undertakings, it is wholly owned by the Union Government and is responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. NPCIL is administered by the...
(NPCIL), MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
Public Sector
- Electronics Corporation of IndiaElectronics Corporation of IndiaElectronics Corporation of India Limited is a Government of India Enterprise under Department of Atomic Energy , established in 1967 by Dr. A. S. Rao in Hyderabad, to create a strong indigenous base in Electronics. ECIL is presently a multi-product, multi disciplinary organization with focus on...
(ECIL), Hyderabad - Indian Rare Earths LimitedIndian Rare Earths LimitedIndian Rare Earths Limited ' is a government-owned corporation in India based in Mumbai. It was incorporated as a private limited company and jointly owned by the Government of India and Government of Travancore Cochin. Government of India took control of IREL in 1963 under the administrative...
(IREL), MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million... - Uranium Corporation of IndiaUranium Corporation of IndiaUranium Corporation of India is an centrally owned Public Sector Undertaking , under the Department of Atomic Energy for Uranium mining and Uranium Processing. The corporation was founded in 1967 and is responsible for the mining and milling of Uranium ore in India...
, Singhbhum
Research & Development Sector
- Bhabha Atomic Research CentreBhabha Atomic Research CentreThe Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is India's primary nuclear research facility based in Mumbai. It has a number of nuclear reactors, all of which are used for India's nuclear power and research programme.- History :...
(BARC), MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, following Research institutions affiliated to BARCBhabha Atomic Research CentreThe Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is India's primary nuclear research facility based in Mumbai. It has a number of nuclear reactors, all of which are used for India's nuclear power and research programme.- History :... - Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and ResearchAtomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and ResearchAtomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research , with headquarters at Hyderabad and seven regional centers, is the oldest unit of the Department of Atomic Energy , Government of India. AMD started functioning from New Delhi on 10 August 1948 as ‘Rare Minerals Survey Unit'...
(AMD), Hyderabad - Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), KalpakkamKalpakkamKalpakkam is a small town in Tamil Nadu, India, situated on the Coromandel Coast 70 kilometres south of Chennai. A conglomerate of two villages and a DAE township, it is about 55 km from Thiruvanmiyur....
, Tamil NaduTamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh... - Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced TechnologyRaja Ramanna Centre for Advanced TechnologyThe Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology is a unit of Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, engaged in R&D in non-nuclear front-line research areas of Lasers, Particle Accelerators and related technologies....
, IndoreIndoreIndore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631... - Variable Energy Cyclotron CentreVariable Energy Cyclotron CentreThe Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre is a research and development unit of the Indian Department of Atomic Energy. The VECC, located in Calcutta, India, performs research in basic and applied nuclear sciences. The Centre houses a 224 cm cyclotron—the first of its kind in India—which has been...
(VECC), KolkataKolkataKolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
Universities
- Homi Bhabha National InstituteHomi Bhabha National InstituteThe Homi Bhabha National Institute, / होमी भाभा राष्ट्रीय संस्थान is a prestigious Indian deemed university, which unifies 10 Constituent Institutions :* 4 Premier centers* 6 Premier autonomous institutes,...
, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million... - Tata Institute of Fundamental ResearchTata Institute of Fundamental ResearchThe Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is a research institution in India dedicated to basic research in mathematics and the sciences. It is a Deemed University and works under the umbrella of the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India. It is located at Navy Nagar, Colaba, Mumbai...
, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
Aided Sector
- Atomic Energy Education SocietyAtomic Energy Education SocietyAtomic Energy Education Society was setup to provide quality education to the children of the employees of the Department of Atomic Energy and its constituent units in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It was established in 1969 with one school in Anushaktinagar, Mumbai...
(AEES), MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million... - Tata Institute of Fundamental ResearchTata Institute of Fundamental ResearchThe Tata Institute of Fundamental Research is a research institution in India dedicated to basic research in mathematics and the sciences. It is a Deemed University and works under the umbrella of the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India. It is located at Navy Nagar, Colaba, Mumbai...
, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million... - Tata Memorial Centre, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
- Center for Excellence in Basic Sciences, Mumbai
- Saha Institute of Nuclear PhysicsSaha Institute of Nuclear PhysicsThe Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics is an institution of basic research and training in physical and biophysical sciences located in Bidhannagar, Kolkata, India. The institute is named after the famous Indian physicist Meghnad Saha.-History:...
(SINP), KolkataKolkataKolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India... - Institute of PhysicsInstitute of Physics, BhubaneswarInstitute of Physics, Bhubaneswar is an autonomous research institution of the Department of Atomic Energy , Government of India. The Institute was established in 1972 by the Government of Orissa, under the founding director Dr. Trilochan Pradhan, when the Institute started theoretical research...
, BhubaneswarBhubaneswarBhubaneswar is the capital of the Indian state of Orissa, officially Odisha. The city has a long history of over 2000 years starting with Chedi dynasty who had Sisupalgarh near present-day Bhubaneswar as their capital... - Harish-Chandra Research InstituteHarish-Chandra Research InstituteThe Harish-Chandra Research Institute is a research institution, named after the mathematician Harish-Chandra, located in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is an autonomous institute, funded by the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India...
(HRI), AllahabadAllahabadAllahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,... - Institute of Mathematical SciencesInstitute of Mathematical SciencesThe Institute of Mathematical Sciences is a research centre located in Chennai, India.IMSc is a national institute for fundamental research in frontier disciplines of the mathematical and physical sciences: theoretical computer science, mathematics, and theoretical physics...
(IMSc or Matscience), ChennaiChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India... - Institute for Plasma ResearchInstitute for Plasma ResearchInstitute for Plasma Research is an autonomous physics research institute located in India. The institute is involved in research in aspects of plasma science including basic plasma physics, research on magnetically confined hot plasmas and plasma technologies for industrial applications. It is a...
, Gandhinagar - National Institute of Science Education and Research, BhubaneswarNational Institute of Science Education and Research, BhubaneswarThe National Institute of Science Education and Research is a research institution in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. The Prime Minister of India laid the foundation stone on August 28, 2006, establishing the institute along the lines of the IISc in Bangalore, and its five sister institutions, the...
Industries and Mining Sector
- Nuclear Fuel ComplexNuclear Fuel ComplexThe Nuclear Fuel Complex was established in 1971 as a major industrial unit of Department of Atomic Energy, for the supply of nuclear fuel bundles and reactor core components. It is a unique facility where natural and enriched uranium fuel, zirconium alloy cladding and reactor core components are...
(NFC), Hyderabad - Heavy Water BoardHeavy Water BoardHeavy Water Board , a constituent unit under Department of Atomic Energy in the Government of India is primarily responsible for production of Heavy Water which is used as a 'moderator' and 'Coolant' in nuclear power as well as research reactors....
(HWB), Mumbai
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is a government-owned corporation of India based in Mumbai. One of the public sector undertakings, it is wholly owned by the Union Government and is responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. NPCIL is administered by the...
(NPCIL), Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
was created in September 1987 as public limited company
Public limited company
A public limited company is a limited liability company that sells shares to the public in United Kingdom company law, in the Republic of Ireland and Commonwealth jurisdictions....
under the Companies Act 1956, "with the objective of undertaking the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the atomic power stations for generation of electricity in pursuance of the schemes and programmes of the Government of India under the provision of the Atomic Energy Act 1962."
NPCIL
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited is a government-owned corporation of India based in Mumbai. One of the public sector undertakings, it is wholly owned by the Union Government and is responsible for the generation of nuclear power for electricity. NPCIL is administered by the...
is the sole body responsible for constructing and operating India's commercial nuclear power plants. As of april 2011 the company had 20 nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
s in operation at six locations, a total installed capacity of 4560 MWe
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
.
Indian Rare Earths Limited
Indian Rare Earths Limited
Indian Rare Earths Limited ' is a government-owned corporation in India based in Mumbai. It was incorporated as a private limited company and jointly owned by the Government of India and Government of Travancore Cochin. Government of India took control of IREL in 1963 under the administrative...
(IREL) Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, a public sector undertaking [PSU] unit of DAE, process minerals to products which are not only of value to the Department, but also useful to other users in the country and outside. Nuclear Fuel Complex
Nuclear Fuel Complex
The Nuclear Fuel Complex was established in 1971 as a major industrial unit of Department of Atomic Energy, for the supply of nuclear fuel bundles and reactor core components. It is a unique facility where natural and enriched uranium fuel, zirconium alloy cladding and reactor core components are...
(NFC) fabricates fuel and structural components for all operating power reactors, thorium blankets and structural components for FBTR. In the recent past, NFC developed special alloys for use in the space programme for the country - a major milestone in import substitution. NFC along with IRE has succeeded in producing pure zirconia crystal, popularly known as American diamonds.
The Heavy Water Board
Heavy Water Board
Heavy Water Board , a constituent unit under Department of Atomic Energy in the Government of India is primarily responsible for production of Heavy Water which is used as a 'moderator' and 'Coolant' in nuclear power as well as research reactors....
designs, builds, operates its own heavy water plants which not only meet the country's requirements but have given India an export capability.
The Department of Atomic Energy has taken up the development of fast breeder reactors which enable utilising Thorium as fuel for power reactors. Simultaneously, it is proposed to set up high flux research reactors to develop new fuel designs in order to economise on the use of nuclear fuels. For augmenting uranium capacity, Uranium Corporation of India
Uranium Corporation of India
Uranium Corporation of India is an centrally owned Public Sector Undertaking , under the Department of Atomic Energy for Uranium mining and Uranium Processing. The corporation was founded in 1967 and is responsible for the mining and milling of Uranium ore in India...
will develop a new uranium mine at Domiasat in Meghalaya in the Ninth Plan
Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL) was established to cater to the nuclear, radiological, instrumentation and control requirements for country's nuclear power programme. This was the first window of DAE for technology transfer in commercial and industrial electronics. At present 80 per cent of the products of this commercial venture serve core sectors of the nation like telecommunication, defence, space, steel, petrochemical and thermal power plants for their instrumentation and control computer application needs. ECIL has received the award for excellence in Strategic Electronics in 1994 from the Department of Electronics
See also
- Atomic Energy Commission of IndiaAtomic Energy Commission of IndiaThe Atomic Energy Commission is a governing body functioning under the Department of Atomic Energy , Government of India. The DAE is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister.- History :...
- Atomic Energy Regulatory BoardAtomic Energy Regulatory BoardThe Atomic Energy Regulatory Board was constituted on November 15, 1983 by the President of India by exercising the powers conferred by Section 27 of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out certain regulatory and safety functions under the Act...
- Nuclear power in IndiaNuclear power in IndiaNuclear power is the fourth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydroelectric and renewable sources of electricity. As of 2010, India has 20 nuclear reactors in operation in six nuclear power plants, generating 4,780 MW while seven other reactors are under construction and...
- Atomic Energy Commission of IndiaAtomic Energy Commission of IndiaThe Atomic Energy Commission is a governing body functioning under the Department of Atomic Energy , Government of India. The DAE is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister.- History :...
- India and weapons of mass destructionIndia and weapons of mass destructionIndia possesses nuclear weapons and maintains short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, nuclear-capable aircraft, surface ships, and submarines under development as possible delivery systems and platforms...