Madhumitha Jaganmohan
Research expert covering climate and environmental sustainability
Nuclear energy in India - statistics & facts
As the world grapples with the urgent need to transition to cleaner energy sources, India emerges as a notable player in the global nuclear energy landscape. With its burgeoning energy demands and commitment to sustainable development, the country is poised to significantly expand its nuclear power capacity. The ambitions to develop nuclear energy capacity contribute considerably to India's diverse energy mix. The country, which currently has a nuclear capacity of about eight gigawatts, aims to increase it to 20 gigawatts by 2032.
India's ambitious nuclear power expansion plans involve the construction of several new reactors, including the large-scale Kudankulam Units 3 & 4 and 5 & 6. These projects and others are expected to boost the country's nuclear power capacity considerably.
India's nuclear expansion is particularly significant due to its large population and rapid economic growth. As the country strives to meet its energy needs, nuclear power could be crucial in reducing its reliance on the coal energy industry and mitigating the nation’s contribution to climate change. However, managing the associated risks of nuclear energy production and ensuring the safe and sustainable development of it will be essential to the success of this ambitious energy mix diversification initiative.
India's fast expanding nuclear power landscape
As of 2022, the mine production of uranium in the country was estimated at 600 metric tons, making India the world’s ninth largest producer of uranium. Energy production from nuclear energy did not gain momentum in the past because of trade bans and the lack of indigenous uranium, but the import of uranium has been possible through the opening of international civil nuclear trade. India has entered into a uranium purchase agreement with Canada, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Uzbekistan, as of 2022. In the financial year 2023, the volume of electricity generated from nuclear sources in India amounted to 47.88 billion units. Going forward, in its federal budget for the financial year 2025, the Indian government proposed to partner with private sector to develop small nuclear reactors to increase the amount of electricity produced from sources that do not produce carbon dioxide emissions.Nuclear power plant expansion plans
The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is a public sector company that is responsible for designing, building, commissioning, and operating India’s nuclear power reactors. The nuclear energy sector in India is primarily driven by its indigenous pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) technology in India, and just about a quarter of the plants run on pressurized water reactors (PWR). The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, a joint venture with Russia, stands as the country's largest nuclear power plant, with an installed capacity of 2,000 megawatts that is set to be expanded with additional plants under construction. In second place, the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station also contributes significantly to the nation's nuclear power generation with an installed capacity of 1,840 megawatts.India's ambitious nuclear power expansion plans involve the construction of several new reactors, including the large-scale Kudankulam Units 3 & 4 and 5 & 6. These projects and others are expected to boost the country's nuclear power capacity considerably.
India's nuclear expansion is particularly significant due to its large population and rapid economic growth. As the country strives to meet its energy needs, nuclear power could be crucial in reducing its reliance on the coal energy industry and mitigating the nation’s contribution to climate change. However, managing the associated risks of nuclear energy production and ensuring the safe and sustainable development of it will be essential to the success of this ambitious energy mix diversification initiative.
