Uranium sources, land acquisition key to boosting nuclear energy: Minister

Business Standard

28-04-2025

Union Power Minister Manohar Lal on Monday said that measures such as faster land acquisition and securing diversified uranium fuel sources are crucial in scaling up domestic nuclear energy capacity.
He said broader participation from private and state sectors is needed to promote nuclear energy, Lal said while chairing a meeting of Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Power.
"(The) minister outlined the key challenges and strategic steps required for scaling up nuclear energy, including Amending the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 to enable broader participation by private and state sectors and Strengthening public perception and enhancing awareness about nuclear energy's safety and benefits," the Power Ministry said in a statement.
Besides, measures like introducing tax concessions, green power classification, and long-term financing to ensure competitive nuclear tariffs, and diversifying technology choices through competitive bidding and promoting indigenous manufacturing under Make in India are crucial nuclear energy, he said.
Lal said securing diversified uranium fuel sources and expanding the vendor base for specialised nuclear equipment and building skilled manpower capacity by strengthening nuclear education and training infrastructure are also important.
Facilitating faster land acquisition through brownfield expansions and repurposing retired thermal sites and streamlining regulatory approval processes to reduce project timelines are also necessary for nuclear capacity addition, the minister said.
A total of eight nuclear reactors having a capacity of 6,600 MW are in the underconstruction stage in the country, the statement said. Another 10 reactors with 7,000 MW capacity are in pre-project stages.
India operates 25 nuclear reactors across seven locations, with a total installed capacity of 8,880 MW, contributing about 3 per cent of the country's electricity generation, it said.
The government targets 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 to strengthen India's long-term energy security.
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