India to triple installed nuclear power capacity by 2031-32: Union Minister

NEW DELHI — As India aims to achieve Net Zero target by 2070, the country’s installed nuclear power capacity is projected to nearly triple by 2031-32, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, told the Parliament on Thursday.

In a reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said the present installed nuclear power capacity is set to increase from 8,180 MW to 22,480 MW by 2031-32.

“Various studies have projected the need to have a national nuclear capacity of the order of 1 lakh MW by 2047 and recommendations of those studies are being viewed for possible future adoption,” said Dr Singh.

He said that there has been more than a 70 per cent surge in India’s nuclear power capacity in the last 10 years, increasing from 4,780 MW in 2013-14 to 8,180 MW at present.

The annual electricity generation from nuclear power plants has also increased from 34,228 million units in 2013-14 to 47,971 million units in 2023-24.

Dr Singh noted that the current installed nuclear power capacity in the country is 8,180 MW, spread across 24 nuclear power reactors. At present, 21 reactors with a total capacity of 15,300 MW are at various stages of implementation by the Nuclear Power Corporation India Ltd (NPCIL).

Nine reactors with a total capacity of 7,300 MW (including Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor by the Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Ltd (BHAVINI) are under construction and 12 reactors with a capacity of 8,000 MW (including 2X500 MW twin unit of Fast Breeder Reactors by BHAVINI are under pre-project activities, the minister told the house.