Government Initiatives for Enhancing India’s Nuclear Capacity
1. Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat
To ensure long-term energy security and transition away from fossil fuels, the Government of India has placed nuclear energy at the center of its energy transition strategy.
- The 2047 Target: The Union Budget 2025-26 set a monumental and ambitious target of achieving 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047. This positions nuclear energy as a major pillar in realizing the vision of a Viksit Bharat (Developed India).
- Financial Allocation: To accelerate this, the government launched the Nuclear Energy Mission, allocating ₹20,000 crore specifically focused on the research and development of advanced nuclear technologies.
2. Legislative Reforms and Private
Historically, India’s nuclear sector has been strictly controlled by the government. To meet the massive 100 GW target, the government is opening doors for public-private collaborations.
Act Amendments
- The government plans to amend the Atomic Energy Act and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act. These legislative changes are designed to create a conducive environment to encourage private sector investments in nuclear power projects.
The ASHVINI Joint Venture
- A supplementary agreement was signed between the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). Together, they formed a joint venture named ASHVINI, which will build, own, and operate new nuclear power plants, such as the upcoming Mahi-Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project.
3. Introduction of Advanced Reactor Models
To make nuclear power more flexible and scalable, the government and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) are pioneering smaller, innovative reactor designs:
Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs)
- Design: BSRs are upgraded, compact versions of the proven 220 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs).
- Application: Because they have drastically reduced land requirements, they are designed to be set up as captive power plants near heavy industries (like steel and aluminium) to aid in industrial decarbonization.
- Operation Model: Private entities will provide the land and capital, while NPCIL will handle the complex design, safety, and daily operations.
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and BSMRs
- The SMR Target: The government aims to develop at least five indigenously designed and operational SMRs by 2033. Research is heavily focused on the Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR).
- Repurposing Coal Plants: SMRs (ranging from 30 MWe to 300 MWe) feature a factory-built modular design. They are specifically being developed for repurposing retiring coal-based power plants and providing reliable, off-grid power to remote locations.
Capacity Expansion and Recent Milestones (2023–2025)
Alongside developing new technologies, India is actively expanding its traditional reactor fleet to increase capacity from the current 8,180 MW to 22,480 MW by 2031-32.
Recent strategic and technological milestones include:
- Commercial Mega-Reactors: The first two units of India’s indigenous 700 MWe PHWR at Kakrapar, Gujarat (KAPS – 3 & 4) successfully started commercial operations.
- Criticality Achieved: On September 19, 2024, the Rajasthan Atomic Power Project’s Unit-7 (RAPP-7)—one of the country’s largest indigenous reactors—successfully reached criticality, initiating its controlled fission chain reaction.
- Fast Breeder Progress: India’s cornerstone Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR 500 MWe) achieved major operational milestones in early 2024, including primary sodium filling and the commencement of core loading on March 4, 2024.
- International Cooperation: The government granted in-principle approval to set up a massive 6 x 1208 MW nuclear power plant at Kovvada (Andhra Pradesh) in strategic cooperation with the USA.
- Uranium Discovery: A significant new deposit was discovered in and around India’s oldest uranium mine, the Jaduguda Mines. This crucial discovery will extend the life of the depleting mine by more than fifty years, securing domestic fuel supplies.
