New Delhi: India has embarked on an ambitious plan to enhance nuclear power capacity to 22,480 MW by the year 2031-32 from the present capacity of 8180 MW. Power generation from nuclear energy is being expanded as part of the strategy to decarbonisation Indian energy sector to transmit the country’s energy mixed towards Net Zero by 2070.
Nuclear Power Corporation India Limited (NPCIL) is currently building nuclear power plants in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Haryana with a total installed capacity of 6800 MW. A nuclear power plant is being developed at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan with 2×700 MW. Two power plants are under commission at Kundankulam in Tamil Nadu with installed capacity of 2×1000 MW each. Similarly, NPCIL is building another plant at Gorakhpur in Haryana, which will have 2×700 MW capacity.
The corporation is carrying out pre-project activities to build five nuclear power plants with 2×700 MW capacity at Kaiga in Karnataka, Gorakhpur in Haryana, Chutka in Madhya Pradesh and Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan. There will be two plants at Mahi Baswara, Rajasthan.
This information was given by union minister of state for science and technology, Jitendra Singh in written reply to Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The project envisaged that small modular reactors can be deployed in remote areas where the total energy demand can be met by small reactors. These plants can be developed as captive power plants and hence connection to the main grid would not be a criteria.
India produced 47971MU power from nuclear plants in 2023-24
In the year 2023-24, nuclear power stations generated 47971 Million Units of electricity and their contribution in the country’s total electricity generation was about 2.8%.
Plans afoot to deploy small nuclear reactors
India has only recently announced its plans to deploy Bharat small reactors (BSRs) (220 MWe PHWRs) and develop Bharat small modular reactors (BSMRs). In this context, research & development has been initiated for BSMRs. The deployment of these reactors will be aimed at sectors, which have captive power requirements. Many countries have shown interest in collaborating with India for SMRs. The various options are in the exploration stage at present.
Govt eyes pvt sector’s entry in to small reactors segment
The government of India has announced initiatives to set up Bharat small reactors and involve private sectors in the nuclear energy programme of the country. Supply chain of BSRs are already established in the country with several in operation with excellent safety features and record continual operation. BSRs, today, are one of the cheapest amongst the SMRs in the world.
In addition R&D for development of a BSMR and new technologies for nuclear energy has been initiated.
