Eight nuclear power reactors with aggregate capacity of 6,600 MW are currently under construction, according to Manohar Lal, Union minister of power.
The minister was addressing a meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Power under his chairmanship, held on April 28, 2025. The agenda for discussion was “Roadmap for Development of Nuclear Power Generation.”
Members were informed that India currently operates 25 nuclear reactors across seven locations, with a total installed capacity of 8,880 MW, contributing about 3 per cent of the country’s electricity generation. Eight reactors with 6,600 MW capacity are under construction, and another ten reactors with 7,000MW capacity are in pre-project stages, the minister said.
During the meeting, the minister highlighted India’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2070 and emphasized that increasing the share of non-fossil fuel-based power generation is central to this vision.
As the power sector contributes over 40 per cent of global energy-related emissions, nuclear energy, being a non-fossil and stable power source, will play an increasingly important role in India’s sustainable development journey.
Manohar Lal also observed that apart from electricity generation, nuclear energy can also serve non-electric applications such as hydrogen production, desalination, process steam, and space heating, thus supporting India’s broader energy transition goals.
100-GW by 2047
In line with India’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’, the Government has set a target of achieving 100GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047. This will significantly strengthen India’s long-term energy security and contribute towards achieving clean energy goals.
Pathways
The Minister outlined the key challenges and strategic steps required for scaling up nuclear energy, including:
- Amending the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 to enable broader participation by private and state sectors.
- Strengthening public perception and enhancing awareness about nuclear energy’s safety and benefits.
- Facilitating faster land acquisition through brownfield expansions and repurposing retired thermal sites.
- Streamlining regulatory approval processes to reduce project timelines.
- Introducing tax concessions, green power classification, and long-term financing to ensure competitive nuclear tariffs.
- Diversifying technology choices through competitive bidding and promoting indigenous manufacturing under Make in India.
- Securing diversified uranium fuel sources and expanding the vendor base for specialized nuclear equipment.
- Building skilled manpower capacity by strengthening nuclear education and training infrastructure.
Featured photograph showing a nuclear steam generator is for representation only
