Nuclear Power Corp. To Standardise Small Reactors As India Eyes 54 GW Nuclear Capacity By 2047

In a bid to accelerate its energy transition and reduce carbon emissions, India has set a target of generating 54 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2047. The goal is part of India's commitment to increasing its non-fossil fuel-based power generation capacity, Ghanshyam Prasad, chairperson of the Central Electricity Authority, said at an Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers Association event in Delhi.

To achieve the target, India is focussing on standardising nuclear power plant designs to expedite construction and reduce costs, Prasad said.

The Nuclear Power Corp. of India has standardised two reactor sizes—700 MW and 1,000 MW—which will be replicated to speed up project execution, Prasad said. The strategy has already started to show results, as the construction time for nuclear power plants has reduced significantly, he said.

Earlier, it took around 15-20 years to develop a nuclear power plant, but now, India is aiming to add at least one to two units every year.

Last year, NPCIL added two units of 700 MW each. This year, one unit of 1,000 MW will be added, and it plans to add another 1,000 MW and a 700 MW unit next year. This plan will help double the country's nuclear power capacity by 2030, Prasad said.

In addition to nuclear power, India is also focussing on pumped hydropower generation. The government sees a potential of 1.86 lakh MW in the space.

Around 1.2 lakh MW of capacity is in the process of tendering and detailed project reports are being prepared for 60,000 MW, he said.

The government aims to add 30 gigawatts of hydropower capacity by 2030, which will help balance the grid and support the integration of renewable energy sources.

Transmission sector upgrades are also underway to support the increased power generation. The government is investing heavily in modernising the transmission infrastructure to ensure a reliable and efficient power supply.

However, supply shortage of high voltage direct current lines is a big challenge that is hampering the implementation of projects.

Also, there are shortages in terms of the supply of subsea cables required for offshore wind projects and interconnect transmission projects between different countries. All the global capacities for subsea cables are already booked, which is going to present a big challenge for offshore wind projects and transmission interconnects with Sri Lanka, Singapore and the UAE that the country has envisaged, Prasad said.

India's ambitious energy targets are part of its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change. The country has already made significant progress in renewable energy, particularly in solar and wind power. The addition of nuclear and hydropower will further diversify India's energy mix and help achieve a sustainable energy future.