India Targets 100 GW Nuclear Capacity by 2047

Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced India's Nuclear Energy Mission to achieve 100 gigawatts electric of nuclear generation capacity by 2047. The initiative supports the Viksit Bharat vision and the national goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2070. To facilitate this growth, the government enacted the SHANTI Act of 2025, which opens the nuclear sector to private participation and grants statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board for independent oversight.

India currently possesses approximately 8.8 GW of capacity and targets a mid-term goal of 22 GW by 2031-32. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India plans to add 32 GW beyond 2032, while the remaining 46 GW will be developed via private entities, state governments, and joint ventures. This shift has already attracted interest from major companies including Adani Group, Tata Power, and Reliance Industries.

A key component of the mission is the operationalization of at least five indigenous small modular reactors (SMRs) by 2033. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is developing three designs: a 220-megawatt reactor (BSMR-200), a 55-megawatt reactor (SMR-55), and a gas-cooled reactor under 5 megawatts for hydrogen production. The government has allocated over $2 billion for SMR development. Tarapur, Maharashtra, is the approved site for the 220 MW and 55 MW projects, while Visakhapatnam is the designated site for the hydrogen-producing reactor.