Wednesday, March 8 2006 16:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Yangon: Noting that India has a large quantity of thorium, President A P J Abdul Kalam today (Mar 08 2006) said that in the next five to seven years the country will have abundant nuclear fuel "and the route is thorium."

India will have to tap solar power, bio-fuel and nuclear fuel to meet its requirement of 20,000 MW of energy by 2030, Kalam told sources on board Air India One 'Tanjore' en route Yangon, the first leg of his two-nation five-day visit to Myanmar and Mauritius.

The country was generating 7,000 MW of energy currently and has to add 1,000-1500 MW every year, he said.

Pointing out that the uranium reserve was limited, he said thorium, which was available in large amount, would have to be used for energy purpose.

"Our scientists are working very hard (on how to extract energy from Thorium)", he said adding that thorium was not fissile material.

Kalam expressed confidence that in the next five to seven years, India would have abundant nuclear fuel.

Observing that energy is the "lifeline" of modern societies, Kalam in his Independence Day eve address last year had said ensuring "Energy Independence" should be the country's "first and highest priority" and the nation must be determined to achieve this within the next 25 years.