Latest news with #NuclearEnergyMission
Time of India
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Nuclear power generation stood at 56,681 million units in 2024-25; capacity projected to reach 22,380 MW by 2031-32
New Delhi: Nuclear power contributed about 3 per cent to the total electricity generated in India in 2024-25, with nuclear power plants producing 56,681 million units (MUs) of electricity during the period, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Presenting the data, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that the government has set a target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 under its Nuclear Energy Mission. This would involve expanding both domestic and imported nuclear fuel sources and enabling participation from public and private sector entities in nuclear energy development . As of now, India's installed nuclear capacity stands at 8,780 MW spread across 24 reactors. This excludes the 100 MW Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS-1), which is under extended shutdown. An additional capacity of 13,600 MW—including the 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) being implemented by BHAVINI—is currently under various stages of implementation. On completion of the ongoing projects, the installed nuclear power capacity is expected to increase to 22,380 MW by 2031-32. The Minister also noted that the government is promoting research and development in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and advanced nuclear technologies to meet the 2047 target. The upcoming capacity addition will include both existing reactor designs and new technologies under development.
The Hindu
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Redeeming India's nuclear power promise
The Union Budget for 2025-26 marked a significant shift in India's nuclear energy plan by announcing an ambitious target of 100 GW of power generating capacity by 2047, up from the present 8.18 GW. This positions nuclear power as a major pillar in India's energy mix, given the two goals of emerging as a developed country (Viksit Bharat) by 2047, and achieving 'net zero emissions' by 2070. Simultaneously, the Nuclear Energy Mission announced a special allocation of ₹20,000 crore to develop 'at least five indigenously designed and operational Small Modular Reactors (SMR) by 2033.' Such ambitious plans will need the involvement of private players, both domestic and foreign, into a hitherto government sector, which will require significant changes to the legislative, financial and regulatory framework. The government has indicated that some changes in the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA), 2010 are in the offing. However, such reforms also need a change in mind set. India's nuclear journey India had an early start, setting up Asia's first nuclear research reactor, Apsara, in 1956, and beginning work on Asia's first nuclear power reactors at Tarapore in 1963. As early as 1954, Dr. Homi Bhabha, the architect of India's nuclear programme, presented a target of generating 8 GW of nuclear power by 1980. However, the journey has been long and difficult. Following India's war with China in 1962; its entry into the nuclear club in 1964; the decision to stay out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968; and the Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) test in 1974, India was excluded from the emerging nuclear order. International cooperation ceased and export controls slowed down the nuclear power programme. This led to the nuclear power target being pushed to 10 GW by 2000. Moreover, India took time to successfully indigenise the design of the 220 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), employed in Rajasthan. Its advantage was that it used natural uranium as fuel unlike the design of the Tarapur Light Water Reactor (LWR), which used Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) that India obtained from the U.S., and later, from France. Subsequently, the same 220 MW PHWR units were established at Narora, Kaiga, Kakrapar etc., and the design was upgraded to 540 MW (set up at Tarapur in 2005-06) and to 700 MW with two units becoming operational at Kakrapar in 2024. After the nuclear tests in 1998, followed by intense negotiations with the U.S. and other strategic partners, India finally gained acceptance as a responsible nuclear power. It also got a special waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). India was thus ready to resume exchanges with other nuclear powers to import both nuclear fuel and more advanced reactors to expand its nuclear energy programme. However, the CLNDA created new difficulties that have prevented such anticipated external participation. In fact, Russia is the only country that is partnering with us at Kudankulum with six VVER-1000 power reactors because the government-to-government agreement, signed in 1988, predated the CLNDA. Towards green development To become a developed country by 2047, India's annual per capita income needs to grow from the current $2,800 to $22,000, and correspondingly, the GDP needs to grow from the current $4 trillion to over $35 trillion. There is a well-established correlation between economic growth and energy consumption. In 2022, India's per capita electricity consumption stood at 1,208 kWh, compared to 4,600 kWh for China, and over 12,500 kWh for the U.S. India's electricity generation capacity, currently at 480 GW (divided almost equally between fossil fuels and renewables), will have to grow five-fold, accounting for growth in population and urbanisation. However, solar, wind, and small hydro projects provide only intermittent power. That is why out of 2030 terrawatt-hours (TWh) — the total electricity generated in 2024 — renewable energy, with half the generation capacity, accounted for only 240 TWh. Coal fired thermal plants accounted for 75% of energy generation. The climate change commitments announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021 at Glasgow COP26 of 'net zero emissions by 2070, raising non-fossil energy generation capacity to 500 GW by 2030 while meeting 50% of the energy demand through renewables, and achieving a carbon intensity reduction of 45% over 2005 levels by 2030' means that India will not be able to rely on fossil fuels for its growth. Renewable energy is (including solar, hydro, wind, and biomass) is estimated to provide 20% of the demand and up to 25% with investments in battery and pumped storage. Therefore, the obvious candidate to fuel India's energy growth is nuclear power. There is a renewed interest globally in nuclear power. This reflected in the Dubai 2023 COP28 'Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy', acknowledging nuclear power as a critical input in reducing reliance on fossil fuels, enhancing energy security, and a move towards a low carbon future. In June, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Bank agreed to work together to support nuclear energy in developing countries, marking a significant policy shift. World Bank President Ajay Banga pointed out, 'nuclear (energy) delivers base load power, which is essential to building modern economies.' Creating an enabling environment The government is looking at three routes. One is to standardise the 220 MW PHWR design and apply it to Bharat Small Modular Reactors, which would significantly reduce costs and commissioning time. This could replace captive thermal power plants that today account for over 100 GW, and which will be replaced over the next two decades. The second track is to scale up the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) plans for the 700 MW PHWR by facilitating land acquisition, streamlining licensing, and strengthening indigenous supply chains. The third track is to accelerate negotiations with partners in France and U.S. that have been moving at a glacial pace for the last 15 years. Under the Atomic Energy Act, nuclear power is a sector reserved by the government. The NPCIL is a government owned company that builds, owns, and operates the PHWRs, the first two Tarapur LWRs, and the Russian designed VVERs. Nuclear power financing is qualitatively different because of the higher upfront capital costs, lower operating costs, a lifecycle of 50-60 years, and costs associated with decommissioning as well as managing radioactive waste. The indigenised PHWR model has a capital cost of $2 million/MW while the equivalent cost for a coal fired thermal unit is just under a million. Given NPCIL's annual budget of $1.2 billion, the government has realised that to achieve the target of 100 GW, private sector companies will have to be brought into the sector, necessitating a comprehensive set of amendments to the Atomic Energy Act. Questions of majority/minority ownership; whether the nuclear operator will be exclusively NPCIL; who has responsibility and control over the nuclear island part of the plant; and concerns over assured fuel supply and waste management responsibility will need to be discussed with potential stakeholders that include major players like Tatas, Adani, Ambani, Vedanta etc. All these will require amendments to the 1962 Act. A set of comprehensive amendments will also be needed for the 2010 CLNDA especially with regards to its liability clause which affects not just the 'operator' but also the 'supplier' of nuclear power. A third area is commercial disputes relating to tariffs. Nuclear electricity tariff for NPCIL is notified under the Atomic Energy Act. Generally, commercial disputes fall under the Electricity Act and are settled by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) but a recent dispute between NPCIL and Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam has led to conflicting views by the CERC and the Appellate Tribunal. The case is now under consideration before the Supreme Court. With the entry of the private sector into the field, should the tariff setting come into the 'levelised cost of energy' as applicable to thermal, solar, wind and hydro will depend on how the question of ownership and control are determined. While India has had an impeccable nuclear safety record, the certification and safety oversight is the responsibility of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) that is 'autonomous' but not a legal entity and is subordinate to the Department of Atomic Energy. In 2011, a draft Bill was circulated to establish AERB as an independent regulator, but the Bill lapsed. With the entry of the private sector, the need for an independent regulator becomes paramount. In addition, a raft of financial incentives will need to be introduced. While nuclear energy is a low-carbon energy source, it is not classified as 'renewable', like solar or wind. Revising this classification would make nuclear power projects eligible for tax incentives and specially designed 'green financing' instruments. Long term power-purchase-agreements and provision for viability-gap-funding are other incentives. The sector also needs to be opened up to foreign direct investments, perhaps up to 49%, to ensure Indian ownership and control. In the past, the process of reform has been tentative. In 2011, the NPCIL set up a Joint Venture (JV) with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), but it languished till it was revived last year. It will now build and operate four units of 700 MW each, scheduled to come up at Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan. Land acquisition has been underway and once completed, the first unit will take seven years. A JV with the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) is also being envisaged. Both the REC and NTPC are public sector units and these JVs will be wholly government entities. However, if India has to deliver on the promise of 100 GW by 2047, it needs foreign partners and the private sector. While this has been accepted by the government, it now has to move forward with the reforms comprehensively and decisively. Rakesh Sood is a former diplomat and is currently Distinguished Fellow at the Council For Strategic and Defence Research.
Mint
08-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
IndianOil preparing new strategy for N-power, not interested in Nayara stake: Chairman Sahney
Indian Oil Corp. Ltd is preparing a new strategy to build small modular reactors (SMR) and large nuclear power plants in the country, chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney said. India's largest oil refiner and marketer is taking fresh look at nuclear diversification, Sahney said in an interview, though the company had earlier tied up with Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd (NPCIL) for the venture. He did not reveal plans for the technology partner. India's Bharat SMR (BSR) is being designed with a capacity of 200 MWe, while a smaller 55 MWe variant is also under development. However, Indian Oil did not participate in NPCIL's recent bids to set up such reactors for captive use. Indian Oil's large refineries consume as much power as produced by BSRs, Sahney said, prompting it to consider building them. "We have not participated in NPCIL's request for proposal (RFP) process, but we are looking into it in a renewed manner… It was 10 years back when we tied up with NPCIL. But now there is a renewed energy to it," he said. Indian Oil's focus on nuclear power comes at a time the government plans to set up 22 GW of nuclear power by 2032 and 100 GW by 2047, up from the current 8.7 GW. State-run major NTPC Ltd set up a subsidiary called NTPC Parmanu Urja Nigam Ltd earlier this year. With the government planning to open up the space for private players, several conglomerates and renewable energy majors are keen on this space. Last month, Mint reported that companies including Reliance Industries, Adani Group, Greenko, Vedanta, HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd, JSW Group and Hindalco Industries have responded to NPCIL's RFP to set up two units of 220-Mwe pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) BSRs. The Union budget for FY26 announced a ₹20,000-crore Nuclear Energy Mission for research and development of SMRs. The full budget for FY25 in July also proposed the government partnering with the private sector to develop SMRs, while the interim budget in February announced funding of ₹1 trillion for R&D in this space. A report by SBICAPS in April had said that although nuclear energy provides high-quality, reliable power at low operational cost, historically, these advantages have been overshadowed by concerns over safety, capital cost, and fuel supply. However, surging demand from AI data centers and crypto, coupled with its unique low-carbon baseload capability apt for thermal plant replacement, has driven a resurgence of interest. "This revival is most pronounced in China, with 30 GW of reactor capacity under development, and growing interest in India and Turkey, while Europe remains cautious," it said, adding that given the current installed base of around 8 GW and only 7 GW of the 36 GW planned capacity currently under construction, significant acceleration is required. Indian Oil is not interested in in acquiring Rosneft's stake in Nayara Energy, Sahney said in response to a query. "Its an open offer, it's in the market... I am totally not interested; so, we have totally not inquired about it," he said. In March, The Economic Times reported that Russia's state-owned energy major Nayara Energy, in which it acquired a 49.13% stake, is looking to exit the Indian venture, as due to sanctions, the Russian company has not been able to repatriate earnings from Nayara Energy in the past few years. He also said that Indian Oil and the domestic oil and gas industry are now confident of navigating any oil supply crisis situation, after smoothly handling the volatility during Israel-Iran conflict last month. He added that as India has significantly diversified its oil imports from nearly 40 countries, state-run refineries including Indian Oil's Panipat refinery are well-equipped to handle diverse crude barrels. The refining capacity of the Indian Oil group stands at 80.75 million metric tonne per annum (mmtpa), including 10.50 million tonne annual refining capacity of its subsidiary Chennai Petroleum Corp. Ltd (CPCL). It is also undertaking the expansion of its Panipat refinery from 15 mmtpa to 25 mmtpa.
Indian Express
25-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Bihar to get its first nuclear power plant as part of national SMR rollout
Bihar will be among the first six states in India will get its first atomic plant under the country's new Nuclear Energy Mission. On Tuesday, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced a Small Modular Reactor (SMR)-based nuclear power plant in the state following the Centre's approval. The announcement comes ahead of assembly election in Bihar and comes after a meeting of eastern region power ministers, which included representatives from Bihar, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. He confirmed that the Centre had accepted Bihar's request for a nuclear plant, stating: 'If the Bihar government sets up a nuclear power plant, the Central Government is fully prepared to provide support.' Khattar added that Bihar had formally requested such a facility and the Centre would assist in its establishment. Details regarding the site and scale of the plant are expected to be finalised in the coming stages of project development. Announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 with a Rs 20,000 crore allocation, the Nuclear Energy Mission aims at expanding clean and reliable nuclear power across the country and strengthen regional energy security. 'The government's goal is to set up at least one nuclear power plant in every state to ensure the country's energy security,' the Union Power Minister said adding: 'As the country's growth rate increases, so does electricity demand. Nuclear power is a reliable, sustainable, and long-term energy option.' SMRs are a newer generation of nuclear technology designed to be more flexible and cost-effective than traditional large-scale reactors, experts say. They can be deployed in smaller grids and are considered safer due to their advanced design. Khattar also said that the government has prepared a comprehensive power vision for 2035, covering thermal, solar, wind, storage, and nuclear energy projects. The decision is part of a broader policy effort to diversify India's energy mix and address rising electricity demand with advanced nuclear technology. For Bihar, which has historically struggled with power deficits and infrastructure challenges, the project represents a significant shift. Officials say the plant could help provide a more stable electricity supply and support the state's industrial ambitions. Alongside the nuclear plant, the Centre has also approved a 1,000 MW battery storage capacity project in Bihar, aimed at enhancing grid stability and supporting renewable energy integration. The government will provide viability gap funding of Rs 18 lakh per MW for this initiative. This focus on battery storage comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Siwan on June 20, laid the foundation stone for a 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Bihar. Union Power Minister Khattar, while making the SMR announcement, also praised the Bihar government for its recent progress in the power sector, noting the installation of eight million smart meters and a significant reduction in technical and commercial losses. 'Bihar was lagging behind in power sector but it has done a considerably good job,' he added. The Union minister further assured that, in recognition of these reforms, the Centre has agreed to supply Bihar with an additional 500 MW of electricity for the next six months to help meet peak summer demand, and that states facing power shortages would be provided adequate supply from the central quota.
India Today
13-06-2025
- Business
- India Today
Small Modular Reactor: How the world is watching India's nuclear gamble
A silent nuclear moment is unfolding in India, and unlike the bombast of past energy revolutions—solar parks inaugurated with drone flyovers or wind corridors showcased in global summits—this one is quiet, careful, but potentially far more its heart lies an unlikely acronym: SMR, short for Small Modular Reactor, and the unassuming promise that India might finally build a civilian nuclear future that is safe, scalable and sovereign. The world is watching because if India succeeds, it may not just change its own energy destiny, it could alter the global nuclear of the initial momentum has been domestic. Last month, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) floated a request for proposals to site two indigenously designed, 220 MW small modular reactors within industrial zones. But this was no mere bureaucratic announcement. The model was radical: the reactors would be built using private industrial capital, operated by NPCIL, with ownership reverting to the state for a token Rs 1, while the companies would receive long-term, cheap, clean power at prices beginning as low as Rs 0.60 per unit. Tariffs would rise by just a paise a year within days of the call, some of India's biggest energy-intensive businesses lined up. Mukesh Ambani's Reliance, which has announced an aggressive pivot to green hydrogen and battery storage, reportedly expressed early interest. Gautam Adani's group, with major power, cement and port operations, quietly signaled JSW, looking to decarbonise its steel production, entered feasibility talks. Both Hindalco and Vedanta, electricity-guzzling aluminium and metals giants, acknowledged the commercial logic. And Tata Power, which straddles coal and renewables, has internally modelled SMR-linked transmission clusters for its future corporate interest has fundamentally changed the energy conversation in New Delhi. What started as a niche DAE (Department of Atomic Energy) project is now being viewed as a national industrial mission—India's shot at becoming a manufacturing and operational hub for the next generation of nuclear political timing has only sharpened the urgency. In February, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman had set aside Rs 1 trillion in budgetary backing for long-gestation strategic infrastructure, including SMRs. A separate Nuclear Energy Mission, with a Rs 20,000 crore allocation, is in the works for numbers tell a story. India wants to increase its nuclear capacity to 22 GW by 2031 and to an ambitious 100 GW by 2047. While that includes large reactors, it's the modular segment that now has the attention of planners and financiers alike. If it materialises at scale, it will also allow India to begin replacing coal from its base load mix, but also serve as a flexible resource for balancing and recalibrating the grid—especially as the share of variable renewables like solar and wind surges. SMRs, with their dispatchable nature and smaller footprint, offer the kind of grid stability coal once did, but without the India's push has not gone unnoticed. The Donald Trump administration, returning to power with a renewed focus on energy dominance and reshoring strategic supply chains, is keenly watching the Indian SMR moment. It continues a policy foundation it had itself laid during Trump's first term, when US agencies launched the FIRST (Foundational Infrastructure for the Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology) initiative to promote American-designed nuclear reactors with a second Trump term underway, SMRs are once again central to US foreign energy policy—viewed as a clean, exportable technology that can counter Chinese and Russian reactor diplomacy. It did get space in Trump-Narendra Modi joint statement in February this year. Washington sees India not only as a vital test-bed for SMR deployment in the global south, but also as a long-term collaborator in developing next-generation nuclear ecosystems that combine American design with Indian manufacturing and deployment World Bank Group's interest is even more striking. While historically reticent about nuclear energy, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) has held at least two high-level dialogues in the past year focused exclusively on SMRs in emerging markets—with India as the centerpiece. The rationale is straightforward: if SMRs can de-risk power production in South Asia, they can be the backbone of green industrial growth, especially in countries with large manufacturing bases but insufficient clean base-load capacity. Clean energy investors, increasingly constrained by the intermittency of renewables, are warming to this such as Canada, US, Russia, China, and the UK have already invested in SMR prototypes and limited deployments. Argentina has a 25 MW SMR nearing operationalisation. The UAE, already a nuclear player with the Barakah plant, is exploring Korean-designed SMRs for desalination. South Korea's SMART SMR design is being actively marketed in Southeast Asia. For India, which already operates 22 nuclear reactors generating just 3.1 per cent of its electricity, the leap to SMRs could finally decouple nuclear growth from foreign dependency, while also positioning it as a clean tech exporter to the Global it's not without friction. For SMRs to be commercially viable in India, one legislative hurdle must be crossed: the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010. The law, unique to India, puts supplier liability for nuclear accidents squarely on the private vendor—a provision that has scared away most global manufacturers. No country with a civilian nuclear programme has such a clause. And while public opinion in India has historically supported strict nuclear liability norms, government insiders now admit that without amendments, the SMR dream may remain just that. In her Union Budget speech, Sitharaman has made commitments of reworking these legislations. However, as the country is still nursing wounds of Bhopal Gas tragedy of 1984, reworking liability clauses will not be is building—quietly, but visibly. While corporate and strategic sectors are aligned, some domestic lobby groups have begun to voice concern. Trade unions have flagged safety risks, citing the complexity of managing dozens of decentralized reactors. A few legacy power sector players—especially coal-linked ones—have lobbied against faster clearances for SMR zones, fearing that the new model may cannibalize their regulatory the Sangh Parivar's response has been measured, not oppositional. Organisations such as Swadeshi Jagran Manch and Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh have taken a neutral stance so far, but are in consultation with scientists, former Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) officials and energy security experts to firm up their position. Their concerns are twofold: first, the geopolitical calibrations that a strong Indo-US SMR collaboration might require, and second, long-term safety assurance in an Indian operational the new technology may help to cut down dependence on Chinese imports. However, they remain supportive of India's indigenous development of Bharat Small Reactors (BSR), a parallel effort within DAE to produce entirely homegrown modular reactors with local components and supply careful balancing act also reflects the Modi government's broader nuclear strategy—globalise technology, localise production and indigenise control. The emerging blueprint for SMRs in India, government sources confirm, will require all critical systems to have 51 per cent domestic value addition. Private companies will be able to own the infrastructure, but NPCIL or BHAVINI (Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited) will continue to hold the regulatory licence and operational command. This is aimed at maintaining public confidence and ensuring that the 'nuclear commons' is not privatised in important is the strategic calculus. In the aftermath of India's tensions with China and the global supply chain reset, SMRs offer a way to reduce dependence on Chinese solar modules and battery components. A successful SMR rollout would give India a dispatchable, low-carbon anchor around which industrial and residential power consumption could be reorganised. From freight corridors to defence outposts, from port-linked economic zones to high-demand urban clusters, SMRs could be deployed in locations where grid expansion is slow or real-world prototypes being examined are modular in more than name. Some are prefabricated in factories and trucked to site, reducing construction timelines from a decade to less than three years. Others, like NuScale's VOYGR reactors, feature passive safety systems that eliminate the need for human intervention during emergencies. Indian engineers are working to adapt these designs to local climatic, seismic, and hydrological conditions. There is even talk of creating a sovereign SMR insurance pool, led by GIC and LIC, to ease liability fears and ensure quick financial response in case of India, which has already committed to net-zero emissions by 2070 and has an electricity demand that's expected to triple by 2040, the energy mix question is not ideological—it is existential. Coal, despite ongoing use, is being edged out on environmental and financing grounds. Solar and wind, while fast-growing, have load curve limitations. Hydro is facing ecological and geopolitical constraints. That leaves nuclear as the only non-fossil, scalable, 24/7 base-load source. And within that, SMRs are the only form that can be built fast, financed flexibly, and deployed modularly across varied public messaging remains cautious. Officials are keen to avoid overstating what is, at this point, a still-theoretical energy leap. Pilot projects, even in the best-case scenario, will take until 2028–29 to show operational proof. Large-scale rollouts, even with supportive policy, could take a decade. But there is growing alignment—between government, capital, and engineering—for a nuclear future that is less monolithic and more that alignment holds, India could do for modular nuclear what it did for generic vaccines: scale it, secure it, and share it with the world. For now, what's clear is this: the reactors may be small, but the ambition is anything to India Today Magazine
