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The Hindu
23-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Redeeming India's nuclear power promise
The Union Budget for 2025-26 marked a significant shift in India's nuclear energy plan by announcing an ambitious target of 100 GW of power generating capacity by 2047, up from the present 8.18 GW. This positions nuclear power as a major pillar in India's energy mix, given the two goals of emerging as a developed country (Viksit Bharat) by 2047, and achieving 'net zero emissions' by 2070. Simultaneously, the Nuclear Energy Mission announced a special allocation of ₹20,000 crore to develop 'at least five indigenously designed and operational Small Modular Reactors (SMR) by 2033.' Such ambitious plans will need the involvement of private players, both domestic and foreign, into a hitherto government sector, which will require significant changes to the legislative, financial and regulatory framework. The government has indicated that some changes in the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA), 2010 are in the offing. However, such reforms also need a change in mind set. India's nuclear journey India had an early start, setting up Asia's first nuclear research reactor, Apsara, in 1956, and beginning work on Asia's first nuclear power reactors at Tarapore in 1963. As early as 1954, Dr. Homi Bhabha, the architect of India's nuclear programme, presented a target of generating 8 GW of nuclear power by 1980. However, the journey has been long and difficult. Following India's war with China in 1962; its entry into the nuclear club in 1964; the decision to stay out of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968; and the Peaceful Nuclear Explosion (PNE) test in 1974, India was excluded from the emerging nuclear order. International cooperation ceased and export controls slowed down the nuclear power programme. This led to the nuclear power target being pushed to 10 GW by 2000. Moreover, India took time to successfully indigenise the design of the 220 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), employed in Rajasthan. Its advantage was that it used natural uranium as fuel unlike the design of the Tarapur Light Water Reactor (LWR), which used Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) that India obtained from the U.S., and later, from France. Subsequently, the same 220 MW PHWR units were established at Narora, Kaiga, Kakrapar etc., and the design was upgraded to 540 MW (set up at Tarapur in 2005-06) and to 700 MW with two units becoming operational at Kakrapar in 2024. After the nuclear tests in 1998, followed by intense negotiations with the U.S. and other strategic partners, India finally gained acceptance as a responsible nuclear power. It also got a special waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). India was thus ready to resume exchanges with other nuclear powers to import both nuclear fuel and more advanced reactors to expand its nuclear energy programme. However, the CLNDA created new difficulties that have prevented such anticipated external participation. In fact, Russia is the only country that is partnering with us at Kudankulum with six VVER-1000 power reactors because the government-to-government agreement, signed in 1988, predated the CLNDA. Towards green development To become a developed country by 2047, India's annual per capita income needs to grow from the current $2,800 to $22,000, and correspondingly, the GDP needs to grow from the current $4 trillion to over $35 trillion. There is a well-established correlation between economic growth and energy consumption. In 2022, India's per capita electricity consumption stood at 1,208 kWh, compared to 4,600 kWh for China, and over 12,500 kWh for the U.S. India's electricity generation capacity, currently at 480 GW (divided almost equally between fossil fuels and renewables), will have to grow five-fold, accounting for growth in population and urbanisation. However, solar, wind, and small hydro projects provide only intermittent power. That is why out of 2030 terrawatt-hours (TWh) — the total electricity generated in 2024 — renewable energy, with half the generation capacity, accounted for only 240 TWh. Coal fired thermal plants accounted for 75% of energy generation. The climate change commitments announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021 at Glasgow COP26 of 'net zero emissions by 2070, raising non-fossil energy generation capacity to 500 GW by 2030 while meeting 50% of the energy demand through renewables, and achieving a carbon intensity reduction of 45% over 2005 levels by 2030' means that India will not be able to rely on fossil fuels for its growth. Renewable energy is (including solar, hydro, wind, and biomass) is estimated to provide 20% of the demand and up to 25% with investments in battery and pumped storage. Therefore, the obvious candidate to fuel India's energy growth is nuclear power. There is a renewed interest globally in nuclear power. This reflected in the Dubai 2023 COP28 'Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy', acknowledging nuclear power as a critical input in reducing reliance on fossil fuels, enhancing energy security, and a move towards a low carbon future. In June, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Bank agreed to work together to support nuclear energy in developing countries, marking a significant policy shift. World Bank President Ajay Banga pointed out, 'nuclear (energy) delivers base load power, which is essential to building modern economies.' Creating an enabling environment The government is looking at three routes. One is to standardise the 220 MW PHWR design and apply it to Bharat Small Modular Reactors, which would significantly reduce costs and commissioning time. This could replace captive thermal power plants that today account for over 100 GW, and which will be replaced over the next two decades. The second track is to scale up the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) plans for the 700 MW PHWR by facilitating land acquisition, streamlining licensing, and strengthening indigenous supply chains. The third track is to accelerate negotiations with partners in France and U.S. that have been moving at a glacial pace for the last 15 years. Under the Atomic Energy Act, nuclear power is a sector reserved by the government. The NPCIL is a government owned company that builds, owns, and operates the PHWRs, the first two Tarapur LWRs, and the Russian designed VVERs. Nuclear power financing is qualitatively different because of the higher upfront capital costs, lower operating costs, a lifecycle of 50-60 years, and costs associated with decommissioning as well as managing radioactive waste. The indigenised PHWR model has a capital cost of $2 million/MW while the equivalent cost for a coal fired thermal unit is just under a million. Given NPCIL's annual budget of $1.2 billion, the government has realised that to achieve the target of 100 GW, private sector companies will have to be brought into the sector, necessitating a comprehensive set of amendments to the Atomic Energy Act. Questions of majority/minority ownership; whether the nuclear operator will be exclusively NPCIL; who has responsibility and control over the nuclear island part of the plant; and concerns over assured fuel supply and waste management responsibility will need to be discussed with potential stakeholders that include major players like Tatas, Adani, Ambani, Vedanta etc. All these will require amendments to the 1962 Act. A set of comprehensive amendments will also be needed for the 2010 CLNDA especially with regards to its liability clause which affects not just the 'operator' but also the 'supplier' of nuclear power. A third area is commercial disputes relating to tariffs. Nuclear electricity tariff for NPCIL is notified under the Atomic Energy Act. Generally, commercial disputes fall under the Electricity Act and are settled by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) but a recent dispute between NPCIL and Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam has led to conflicting views by the CERC and the Appellate Tribunal. The case is now under consideration before the Supreme Court. With the entry of the private sector into the field, should the tariff setting come into the 'levelised cost of energy' as applicable to thermal, solar, wind and hydro will depend on how the question of ownership and control are determined. While India has had an impeccable nuclear safety record, the certification and safety oversight is the responsibility of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) that is 'autonomous' but not a legal entity and is subordinate to the Department of Atomic Energy. In 2011, a draft Bill was circulated to establish AERB as an independent regulator, but the Bill lapsed. With the entry of the private sector, the need for an independent regulator becomes paramount. In addition, a raft of financial incentives will need to be introduced. While nuclear energy is a low-carbon energy source, it is not classified as 'renewable', like solar or wind. Revising this classification would make nuclear power projects eligible for tax incentives and specially designed 'green financing' instruments. Long term power-purchase-agreements and provision for viability-gap-funding are other incentives. The sector also needs to be opened up to foreign direct investments, perhaps up to 49%, to ensure Indian ownership and control. In the past, the process of reform has been tentative. In 2011, the NPCIL set up a Joint Venture (JV) with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), but it languished till it was revived last year. It will now build and operate four units of 700 MW each, scheduled to come up at Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan. Land acquisition has been underway and once completed, the first unit will take seven years. A JV with the Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) is also being envisaged. Both the REC and NTPC are public sector units and these JVs will be wholly government entities. However, if India has to deliver on the promise of 100 GW by 2047, it needs foreign partners and the private sector. While this has been accepted by the government, it now has to move forward with the reforms comprehensively and decisively. Rakesh Sood is a former diplomat and is currently Distinguished Fellow at the Council For Strategic and Defence Research.
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
AERB approves Mahi Banswara site in Rajasthan to build four 700 MWe nuclear power plants
India's nuclear regulator has approved a proposal to build four 700MWe units of atomic power reactors at Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) granted the approval to the project site after a three-tier review subject to satisfactory compliance with the stipulations and conditions. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) applied to the AERB seeking consent for the Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (MBRAPP) site to build four indigenously developed Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) of 700 MWe capacity. "Consent is hereby granted for Siting of MBRAPP 1 to 4, subject to satisfactory compliance to the stipulations and conditions specified in Annexure 1," the AERB said. "The Consent will be subjected to re-review for any non-compliance to the stipulations and conditions. The Consent shall not be transferable without the prior approval of the Competent Authority," the nuclear regulator said. The Mahi Banswara project is being implemented by Anushakti Vidyut Nigam , a joint venture between NPCIL and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). At present, NPCIL and Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (Bhavini) are allowed to build and operate nuclear power plants. An amendment to the Atomic Energy Act-1962 in 2015 paved the way for joint ventures between NPCIL and other public sector companies to build nuclear power plants. The MBRAPP units are among ten 700 MWe PHWRs that the government plans to build under the fleet mode approach, approval for which was granted in 2017. Besides Mahi Banswara, the fleet mode nuclear plants will come up at Kaiga NPP (two units), Gorakhpur-Haryana (two units) and Chutka-Madhya Pradesh (two units).
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
AERB approves Mahi Banswara site in Rajasthan to build four 700 MWe nuclear power plants
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India's nuclear regulator has approved a proposal to build four 700MWe units of atomic power reactors at Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan. The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) granted the approval to the project site after a three-tier review subject to satisfactory compliance with the stipulations and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) applied to the AERB seeking consent for the Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (MBRAPP) site to build four indigenously developed Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) of 700 MWe capacity."Consent is hereby granted for Siting of MBRAPP 1 to 4, subject to satisfactory compliance to the stipulations and conditions specified in Annexure 1," the AERB said."The Consent will be subjected to re-review for any non-compliance to the stipulations and conditions. The Consent shall not be transferable without the prior approval of the Competent Authority," the nuclear regulator Mahi Banswara project is being implemented by Anushakti Vidyut Nigam , a joint venture between NPCIL and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC).At present, NPCIL and Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited (Bhavini) are allowed to build and operate nuclear power plants. An amendment to the Atomic Energy Act-1962 in 2015 paved the way for joint ventures between NPCIL and other public sector companies to build nuclear power MBRAPP units are among ten 700 MWe PHWRs that the government plans to build under the fleet mode approach, approval for which was granted in Mahi Banswara, the fleet mode nuclear plants will come up at Kaiga NPP (two units), Gorakhpur-Haryana (two units) and Chutka-Madhya Pradesh (two units).
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Who was nuclear scientist Dr MR Srinivasan, architect of India's atomic power?
Dr M R Srinivasan Dr Malur Ramasamy Srinivasan, a pioneering figure in India's nuclear energy programme and former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission , passed away in Tamil Nadu's Udhagamandalam on Tuesday at the age of 95. The veteran scientist leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of leadership and technical brilliance that shaped the country's self-reliant nuclear capabilities. 'His legacy of visionary leadership, technical brilliance, and tireless service to the nation will continue to inspire future generations,' his daughter, Sharada Srinivasan, said in a statement issued by the family. Born on January 5, 1930, in Bengaluru, Dr Srinivasan was the third of eight siblings. He completed his early education in Mysore, studying Sanskrit and English. Despite a strong inclination towards physics, he enrolled in mechanical engineering at the University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering (UVCE), graduating in 1950. He went on to earn a master's degree (1952) and a PhD (1954) in gas turbine technology from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Dr Srinivasan joined the Department of Atomic Energy in September 1955, where he began working alongside Dr Homi Bhabha on India's first nuclear research reactor, Apsara. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 大正製薬が発表。お腹脂肪がつく原因、実は 大正製薬 今すぐ購入 Undo He later served as Principal Project Engineer for the country's first atomic power station and played a crucial role in building the Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR), which became the backbone of India's indigenous nuclear power fleet. Following the untimely death of Dr Bhabha in a plane crash in 1966, Dr Srinivasan continued to lead key developments in India's nuclear programme. His leadership was crucial in the construction of the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) and the expansion of nuclear power projects across the country. In 1974, he was appointed Director of the Power Projects Engineering Division at the DAE, and in 1984, he became Chairman of the Nuclear Power Board. Under his supervision, India saw a significant expansion in its nuclear power capacity. He served as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary, DAE, from 1987, and was the founding Chairman of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). Under his leadership, 18 nuclear reactors were developed, seven operational, seven under construction, and four in the planning stages. He also represented India on the global stage as a senior advisor at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna from 1990 to 1992, and as a Member of the Planning Commission from 1996 to 1998, where he oversaw Energy and Science & Technology portfolios. His contributions extended beyond science and engineering into national policymaking, serving on India's National Security Advisory Board and leading the Task Force on Higher Education in Karnataka. In recognition of his distinguished contributions to India's nuclear energy program, Dr Srinivasan was awarded the Padma Shri in 1984, Padma Bhushan in 1990 and Padma Vibhushan in 2015. He was also the recipient of Homi Bhabha Gold Medal from Indian Science Congress, Homi Bhabha Lifetime Achievement Award, Part of Asian Scientist 100 list in 2016 He was a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering, Institution of Engineers (India), and an Emeritus Fellow of the Indian Nuclear Society. Additionally, he was a founding member of the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO). Dr Srinivasan authored the book From Fission to Fusion: The Story of India's Atomic Energy Programme, a seminal work chronicling the evolution of India's nuclear journey. Several dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, and defence minister Rajnath Singh, expressed deep condolences and mourned his death. As India bids farewell to one of its foremost scientific minds, Dr Srinivasan's life stands as a testament to the power of vision, perseverance, and service to nation progress.
Mint
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Who was M R Srinivasan? Veteran nuclear scientist passes away at 95; PM Modi condoles demise
Dr. M R Srinivasan, the former Chairman of India's Atomic Energy Commission, passed away on Tuesday, 20 May 2025, at the age of 95. The veteran scientist suddenly fell ill overnight in Ooty and peacefully passed away in the local hospital at 4 a.m. on Tuesday. 'My father suddenly took ill in Ooty over last night and passed away peacefully in hospital at 4 am in hospital, my mother is with him.. we are going from Bangalore now..,' said Sharada Srinivasan, the daughter of the late veteran scientist according to a social media post on Facebook post. M R Srinivasan was the former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission who played a major role in developing India's nuclear power programme. Malur Ramasamy (M R) Srinivasan, born in Janaury 1930, was an Indian nuclear scientist and mechanical engineer who was also responsible for the development of a Pressurised heavy-water reactor (PHWR) in India. After joining the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in September 1955, Srinivasan worked with Dr. Homi Bhabha on the nation's first nuclear research reactor, Apsara, which achieved criticality in August 1956. In 1959, he was appointed as the Principal Project Engineer for the construction of India's first atomic power station and later in 1967, he took charge of the Madras Atomic Power Station as its Chief Project Engineer. In 1974, he became the Director of the Power Projects Engineering Division, DAE, and later, in 1984, he was promoted to the Chairman of the Nuclear Power Board, where he oversaw the planning, execution, and operation of all nuclear power projects across the nation. In 1987, he finally became the Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's highest civilian recognition for all his contributions to the Indian nuclear programme. M R Srinivasan completed his schooling in Mysore and later joined the engineering college (currently UVCE) by M. Visvesvaraya, where he finished his Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering in 1950. He also did his Master's in gas turbine technology from McGill University in Canada in 1954. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a social media post, expressed his condolences on the demise of veteran scientist M R Srinivasan. Modi highlighted how Srinivasan's role in developing India's nuclear infrastructure has been foundational for the industry. Modi extended his personal thoughts and the nation's gratefulness for all his contributions to his family and friends at this hour of loss. 'Deeply saddened by the passing of Dr. MR Srinivasan, a stalwart of India's nuclear energy program. His instrumental role in developing critical nuclear infrastructure has been foundational to our being self-reliant in the energy sector. He is remembered for his inspiring leadership of the Atomic Energy Commission. India will always be grateful to him for advancing scientific progress and mentoring many young scientists. My thoughts are with his family and friends in this sad hour. Om Shanti,' said PM Modi in his social media post on the platform X. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin also shared his condolences on a Facebook post. 'We mourn the passing of Dr. M.R. Srinivasan, a pillar of India's atomic energy programme,' said Stalin. 'Over decades, he led the creation of 18 nuclear power units, driving energy self-reliance. A true nation builder. My deepest condolences,' he said.
