2 weeks ago
India targets 100 GW nuclear power by 2047, says Modi
India's leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wants India to make a lot more electricity using nuclear power.
He says computers, AI, and data centres will need huge amounts of electricity in the future.
So he announced a big goal: India should have 100 GW of nuclear power by the year 2047.
He also wants five new nuclear reactors to be built in the current decade.
Some of the new reactors will be small ones called small modular reactors, or SMRs.
India's scientists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre are designing three types of these small reactors.
India is also working on fast breeder reactors that can create new fuel from thorium, which India has in abundance.
In April, India's first fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam started working.
These efforts could help India make its own nuclear fuel and reduce carbon emissions from making electricity.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a target of 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047 during his Independence Day address.
The government aims to commission five new nuclear reactors within the current decade.
Modi cited rising electricity demand from chips, AI and data centres as the key driver for expanding nuclear capacity.
India currently has 25 operational nuclear reactors totalling 8.7 GWe, with 10 under construction and 10 units in the pre-project stage.
India's first indigenous fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam attained criticality in April, a milestone in the three-stage nuclear programme.
- Who
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who announced the targets; the Department of Atomic Energy, which released draft rules under the SHANTI Act.
- What
- A target to expand India's nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047 and commission five new nuclear reactors this decade to meet rising electricity demand.
- Where
- India, including the reactor site at Kalpakkam and studies on repurposing old thermal power plant sites for nuclear projects.
- When
- Announced during Modi's Independence Day address; DAE draft rules were released on a Friday, and the Kalpakkam fast breeder reactor attained criticality in April.
- Why
- To power rapidly rising electricity demand from semiconductors, AI and data centres and to move towards self-reliance in nuclear fuel.
Key facts
- Nuclear capacity target
- 100 GW by 2047
- New reactors this decade
- 5
- Operational reactors
- 25 reactors totalling 8.7 GWe
- Reactors under construction
- 10 reactors, around 8 GWe
- Reactors in pre-project stage
- 10 units, around 6.6 GWe
- Nuclear Energy Mission outlay
- Rs 20,000 crore
- SMRs under development
- 3 types being designed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
- Key milestone
- India's first indigenous fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam attained criticality in April
Quotes
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Prime Minister of India
“"This year, India crossed an important milestone by mastering fast breeder nuclear technology. With this, we have taken a major step towards achieving self‑reliance in nuclear fuel and have made significant progress in that direction."”
indianexpress.com
“"It will be difficult to run this new world without energy, and therefore, whether it is chips, AI or data centres, we will need very large amounts of electricity."”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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