Kaiga nuclear power plant situated in Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka

India’s nuclear power roadmap under the National Nuclear Energy Mission (NNEM) will lean heavily on large reactors to achieve the target of 100 GW by 2047, with small modular reactors (SMRs) contributing a smaller but strategic share.

Senior officials have confirmed that about 80 GW capacity will be delivered by state-owned giants NPCIL and NTPC Limited through large-scale projects, while the remaining 20 GW will be open for private sector participation primarily via SMRs.

NPCIL is tasked with adding 50 GW, while NTPC will contribute 30 GW, both relying on pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) and pressurised water reactors (PWRs). India is also moving ahead with imported designs such as the French EDF EPRs for Jaitapur, Maharashtra. Planned as the country’s largest nuclear station at 10,380 MW, Jaitapur alone will account for 10 percent of the final target capacity. However, this project has been repeatedly delayed as India and France negotiate financial and commercial terms.

SMRs, capped at 300 MW capacity each, are being slated as enablers for rapid scalability, flexible deployment, and private entry into the nuclear power sector. India’s indigenous design in this domain is the 220 MW Bharat Small Reactor (BSR). The government has allocated ₹20,000 crore in Budget 2025 for SMR research and innovation, while simultaneously preparing amendments to the Atomic Energy Act (1962) and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (2010) to enable private-sector participation.

Despite the buzz around SMRs globally for their compact size and faster deployment cycles, officials stress that India will still need three to four times more capacity additions through large reactors than SMRs. The main reason is scale: India must add 91 GW in just 22 years, compared to the 8.8 GW achieved over the last 56 years. Large reactors provide the gigawatt-level bulk generation needed to close this gap within tight timelines.

India’s growing energy demand, coupled with its climate commitments, makes nuclear energy a critical pillar of the low-carbon transition. While solar and wind will continue to expand, nuclear offers a stable baseload, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. This is particularly vital for meeting round-the-clock industrial power needs while decarbonizing the grid.

At present, the largest operational nuclear station in India is the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, generating 2000 MW, with progressive expansion planned to raise the site’s capacity to 6000 MW. By contrast, Jaitapur will dwarf all existing projects once commissioned, symbolising India’s strategic reliance on big-ticket nuclear reactors to anchor its mid-century energy transition.

India’s nuclear power expansion plan under the National Nuclear Energy Mission (NNEM):

India’s Nuclear Power Expansion Timeline (to 2047)

Year/PhaseTarget Capacity (GW)Key Drivers/ProjectsNotes
2025 (Current)8.8 GWExisting PHWRs + Kudankulam (2000 MW operational)Built over past 56 years since Tarapur-1 (1969)
2031-3222.48 GWFleet of ongoing PHWRs (10 × 700 MW units at various sites), Kudankulam expansion to 6000 MWSignificant scale-up within 7 years
Mid-2030s~40–45 GWLarge PHWR fleet + additional units at Jaitapur, Mithi Virdi, Kovvada; start of BSR-based SMR demonstrationTransition phase before 100 GW push
2040~70 GWCommissioning of imported large PWRs (EDF EPRs at Jaitapur) + NTPC entry in large-scale projectsMajority from NPCIL, NTPC joint ventures
2047 (Mission Goal)100 GW80 GW from large reactors (NPCIL – 50 GW, NTPC – 30 GW) + 20 GW from SMRs (mostly private sector fleet mode)SMRs to provide distributed, flexible capacity

Key Highlights

80 GW Large Reactors: Primarily PHWRs and PWRs operated by NPCIL and NTPC, including the 10,380 MW Jaitapur mega-project.

20 GW SMRs: Small Modular Reactors (up to 300 MW), including India’s indigenous 220 MW Bharat Small Reactor (BSR), targeted at private-sector investment and fleet deployment.

Private Participation: Requires amendments to the Atomic Energy Act (1962) and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (2010).

Strategic Role: Large reactors will be the mainstay for scale, while SMRs provide modular, quick-deployment options aligned with India’s renewable-heavy grid.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)