India's nuclear power generation capacity to reach 21,880 MW by 2032: Govt

India's nuclear capacity will expand sharply to 21,880 MW by 2032 as ongoing and planned PHWR projects come online, with BARC also developing next-generation Small Modular Reactors

India's nuclear power generation capacity is set to rise from the current 8,780 megawatt (MW) to 9,480 MW by the end of the current financial year 2025-26, 13,480 MW by 2029-30 and 21,880 MW by 2031-32 as projects under implementation get commissioned, the government said in a written reply in Parliament.

 

Which reactors are currently under construction? 

Three 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) units — RAPS-8 (700 MW) at Rawatbhata in Rajasthan and GHAVP-1 & 2 (two units of 700 MW each) at Gorakhpur in Haryana — are presently under construction.

 

What additional reactors are in the pipeline? 

In addition, ten reactors of 700 MW each are at various stages of pre-project activities — two each at Kaiga in Karnataka, Chutka in Madhya Pradesh and Gorakhpur in Haryana, and four at Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan.

 

What Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technologies is BARC developing? 

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has initiated design and development works on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), including the 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55) and an up to 5 MW thermal high-temperature gas-cooled reactor meant for hydrogen generation.

 

How can SMRs be deployed? 

“BSMR-200 and SMR-55 can be deployed as captive power plants for energy-intensive industries such as aluminium, steel and metal, repurposing retiring fossil fuel-based power plants and for providing energy for remote as well as off-grid locations,” the official statement said.

 

What role will high-temperature reactors play? 

It added that hydrogen produced from high-temperature gas-cooled reactors can be utilised as a clean fuel in the transport sector and in process industries.

 

How does this fit within India’s long-term nuclear goals? 

This work is part of the Nuclear Energy Mission, which envisages reaching 100 gigawatt nuclear power capacity by 2047.