India's Installed Nuclear Power Capacity To Triple By 2031-32, Says Union Minister

India's nuclear power capacity is set to increase from 8,180 megawatts to 22,480 megawatts by 2031-32, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for the Department of Atomic Energy, in a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Singh highlighted India's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. "Various studies have projected the need for a national nuclear capacity of approximately 1,00,000 MW by 2047, and the recommendations from these studies are being considered for future adoption," he said.

In discussing the capacity augmentation of nuclear energy, the Union Minister of State for the Department of Atomic Energy highlighted a surge in India's nuclear power capacity over the last decade by over 70%, from 4,780 MW in 2013–14 to 8,180 MW currently. The annual electricity generation from nuclear power plants has also risen from 34,228 million units in 2013–14 to 47,971 million units in 2023–24, he said.

Currently, India's installed nuclear power capacity of 8,180 MW is distributed across 24 reactors.

Singh noted that 21 reactors, with a combined capacity of 15,300 MW, are at various stages of implementation by the Nuclear Power Corp. of India. This includes nine reactors with a total capacity of 7,300 MW (including the prototype fast breeder reactor by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidhyut Nigam Limited, Bhavini), which is under construction, and 12 reactors with a capacity of 8,000 MW (including two 500 MW twin units of fast breeder reactors by Bhavini) in pre-project activities.

During the Union budget 2024, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outlined plans to develop modular nuclear reactors as part of the country's clean energy transition. “Nuclear energy is expected to form a very significant part of the energy mix going forward,” she said.

To advance this goal, the government will collaborate with the private sector to establish Bharat small reactors, pursue research and development in this area, and explore new technologies for nuclear energy. Sitharaman also mentioned that "the R&D funding announced in the interim budget will be available for this sector."