Basant,
I don't want to sound pessimistic but I have been watching and investing in Uranium stocks since last 2 years. I saw some posts mentioning low supply of silver/gold etc. But do you know where is the biggest problem. IT IS URANIUM. Now if silver price goes very high, we see less demand and some recycling as silver is not burnt . Oil is burnt but if price goes too high, people will use public transportation, less driving, use ethanol, gas etc. Now U is very intresting. Global demand is 200m pounds. Supply is only 100m pounds. This is since 1993. I know your question(where did they find rest of 100m ponds?). 1. There was draw down on inventory of power plants and most important 2. When Russia broke up, US was worried abt their nuclear arms getting sold in black mkt. Clinton admin made a deal of converting those bomb grade U into mild u for power plants. They named it "Megatons to Megawatts Program". Some people expect that supply will be done in '07. Now U is probably most inelastic metal to price. To explain it better if price of salt goes up 10 or 20 times would it matter to home budget? Its cost is just so much negligible for generating power. But than think if there is not enough supply. Somebody(and lot of them) will have to shutdown plant.
Now on demand side: There are many new plants planned. China is planning to add 1 or 2 every year. India has plan for some 24 of them. Though it takes many years to build them, no body has idea where would they get big "U".
On supply side: As in other metals, it will take years from exploration to mining to refining. But other problem with U is it is most sensitive matter due to radiation and getting all clearances take more time than any other metal.
Since Russia is minting money on oil and metal money and their Nukes inventory wend down, who knows, Putin might start building them back so even less U.
I am not worried abt the price. It is matter of getting the material at ANY PRICE.
Can you throw some light on Areva? Did the name change of that company since I am not familiar with that name so eighter must be new or name changed. Who would be benificiary - areva or parent company?
I agree with you on Tata Power and Reliance Energy. It takes 6-9 years to build the plant. So not worth that play. I am more negative on Rel. Energy after split. I dont think management has focus in business. Not coz they have multiple businesses. They have multiple activities other than business.