As of 2024, India’s nuclear power generation capacity stands at 8,180 MW, marking significant progress from 4,780 MW in 2014. The country aims to expand this capacity to approximately 12,800 MW by 2031. Despite this progress, nuclear energy accounts for around 1-2% of India’s total energy mix.
Currently, India operates 24 nuclear reactors, with an additional six under construction, expected to be completed by 2030. India’s existing 24 nuclear reactors vary in capacity from 150 MW to 930 MW and primarily operate on Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) technology, which uses heavy water as both coolant and moderator. Additionally, the country has two reactors each based on Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) and Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) technologies.
Union Budget and India’s Nuclear Energy Expansion Plan
India has set an ambitious target of 100 GW of nuclear energy by 2047, a vision that requires significant advancements in domestic capabilities, greater private sector participation, and the adoption of modern technologies like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The 2024 Union Budget reflects this commitment with an allocation of INR 20,000 crore to support nuclear energy expansion. This investment is focused on developing five SMRs, which are expected to be operational by 2033.
Thorium: India’s Strategic Nuclear Resource
India possesses one of the world’s largest thorium reserves, estimated at 319,000 tonnes, accounting for about 13% of the global total. The country has identified around 12 million tonnes of monazite, a key thorium-bearing mineral. Given the uncertainties surrounding uranium supply, India is heavily investing in its three-stage nuclear program to transition towards a thorium-based energy model.
Currently, India is advancing towards Stage 2 of this strategy with the development of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs). These reactors utilize uranium-plutonium fuel while simultaneously breeding fissile uranium-233 (U-233) from thorium. A major milestone in this initiative is the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, approved in 2002. While thorium-based energy holds great potential, its large-scale implementation is still at least 15-20 years away.
Fusion energy on the cards?
Unlike traditional nuclear fission, which involves splitting atoms, nuclear fusion replicates the Sun’s energy production by merging atomic nuclei. This process has the potential to generate vast amounts of energy with minimal environmental impact, eliminating risks associated with long-lived radioactive waste and carbon emissions.
A leading project pushing this technology forward is ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), which recently achieved a critical milestone—reaching energy neutrality, where the energy input equals the energy output. India is a major contributor to this project, committing more than INR 17,000 crore, approximately 10% of the total project cost.
Several major Indian private players, including L&T, TCS, and HCL, are involved in providing engineering goods and technological support. Additionally, around 200 Indian personnel are working on-site to support the development of this ambitious project.
Although ITER was initially scheduled to go online this year, repeated setbacks, delays, and escalating costs have pushed operations to at least 2033. While the project holds immense promise, commercial viability is still at least a decade away.