Unlike uranium, thorium is more widely available in India, and the country’s long-term nuclear programme has been built strategically around this advantage. Thorium is also inherently safer, raising hopes of a greener alternative to conventional nuclear energy.
Published Aug 29, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Aug 29, 2025 | 9:00 AM
Thorium is considered three times more abundant in nature than uranium.
Synopsis: Kerala has revived interest in a thorium-based nuclear power project, with Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty confirming that discussions are underway with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre on possible collaboration. The state, which faces rising dependence on power imports and high tariffs due to dwindling hydropower, is considering Kayamkulam in Alappuzha as a potential site for the project. However, the state’s ambitions could spell disaster, particularly for its coastal ecology.
A decade after a bitter internal rift within the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala over the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, the party is once again backing a nuclear project, this time exploring the potential of thorium, the silvery metal found in abundance in the state and seen by scientists as a possible game changer for clean energy.
The buzz around a thorium-based nuclear plant in Kerala has been in circulation since 2023, but it picked up momentum last week after Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty hinted at it during a public function in Kochi.
“We are considering participating in a project to generate low-cost electricity from thorium,” the minister said, noting that the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has already developed a small reactor design.
He added that the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) chairman and secretary recently held discussions at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, and their report will determine whether Kerala formally joins the project.
For a state whose entire power needs were once fulfilled through monsoon-fed dams but is now struggling with drying rivers, stalled hydro projects and rising dependence on power imports, the nuclear option has re-emerged as a necessity.
Yet, the proposal has revived memories over the controversy over Kudankulam, which the CPI(M) state unit endorsed even as veteran leader VS Achuthanandan broke ranks in open defiance, drawing a rare censure and a subsequent apology.
Thorium is considered three times more abundant in nature than uranium and forms a crucial part of India’s long-term nuclear plans.
Unlike uranium, thorium cannot be directly used as fuel. But when combined with uranium or plutonium in advanced reactors, it can potentially provide a nearly limitless source of safe and clean energy for centuries.
Scientists say thorium has several advantages. It has a higher melting point, better heat conductivity and greater stability, making reactors safer and more efficient.
It also produces much less long-lived radioactive waste compared to uranium, making it a more environmentally friendly option. Thorium fuels last longer, with reactors requiring fewer shutdowns, ensuring steadier power generation.
For Kerala, this could be transformative. The state relies mainly on hydropower but still faces some of the highest electricity tariffs in the country.
Unlike states that have invested heavily in thermal and nuclear capacity, Kerala has yet to tap its thorium-rich sands, despite their potential to position the state as a leader in clean nuclear energy.
Experts argue that with careful planning and investment in thorium-based reactors, Kerala could not only bring down power costs but also set a national example in sustainable energy, turning its black sands into a bright source of power.
The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates the world’s reserves of monazite at about 12 million tonnes, of which nearly 8 million tonnes occur with heavy minerals along India’s coast, spread across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.
The BARC notes that monazite-rich sands along these coasts hold about 8–10 percent thorium, making Kerala’s west coast among the richest deposits in the world.
Unlike uranium, thorium is more widely available in India, and the country’s long-term nuclear programme has been built strategically around this advantage. Thorium is also inherently safer, raising hopes of a greener alternative to conventional nuclear energy.
Officials say what makes the current breakthrough particularly significant is its scale and safety. Experts point out that BARC’s compact thorium reactor can power an entire district using just 200 grams of thorium, while producing minimal nuclear waste.
As MR Iyer of BARC’s Radiation Safety Systems Division explained, the sands are believed to have been washed down from the highlands by rivers and deposited along the coast.
Kerala is now keen to harness this natural wealth, with the Alappuzha-Kollam stretch emerging as the most promising site. The state government has reportedly identified Kayamkulam in Alappuzha, home to the now-defunct NTPC thermal power station, as a priority location.
With a large tract of land already available, Kayamkulam offers a ready base to host a thorium project, potentially placing Kerala at the forefront of India’s nuclear energy future.
The ambition, though, comes with a steep price. The project could potentially spell disaster for the state’s fragile coastline and the fishing community, already battered by climate change and other pressures such as deep-sea mining.
Critics warn that extracting thorium from monazite-rich sands could intensify coastal erosion and destabilise marine ecosystems.
Equally pressing is the state’s population density and narrow terrain. In the event of even a minor reactor mishap, the tightly packed settlements, unpredictable wind flows and limited evacuation routes could magnify radiation risks, leaving disaster management authorities with few options.
On the technological front, the thorium fuel cycle is notoriously complex. It requires advanced infrastructure for high-temperature fuel fabrication, heavily shielded facilities to manage the hazardous gamma radiation from uranium-232, and sophisticated remote reprocessing systems, all of which India has yet to master at scale.
This makes near-term deployment in Kerala not only risky but also prohibitively expensive.
Furthermore, despite India’s abundant thorium reserves, experts caution that commercial-scale thorium power may not be viable before the 2050s, raising doubts about the project’s financial sustainability in the present.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
