Nuclear power development in India

Abstract

The Integrated Energy Policy in its endeavour to achieving energy independence and sustainable development ensuring inclusive growth has mandated the Department of Atomic Energy to formulate programmes for increasing electricity generation from the current 4120 MWe to 30,000 MWe by 2020 and 63,000 MWe by 2031-32. The Indian nuclear power programme evolved and achieved a sort of maturity in settingup small and medium sized Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors, scaling up from 220MWe to 540 MWe reactor units and is planning to build 700 MWe Units in future. Asa part of second stage of nuclear power programme a 500 MWe Fast Breeder Reactor is under construction and designs are being finalized to take up Advanced Heavy Water Reactors, towards utilization of thorium, which is abundantly available in the country. The progress made so far, in the midst of limited fuel availability in the country and in the face of technology denial regime is remarkable. Consequent on the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, waiver of sanctions by Nuclear Suppliers Group and India Specific Safeguards Agreement with IAEA, India is poised to make a quantum jump in augmenting electricity through nuclear power. While NPCIL has ambitious plans in this direction, in order to take advantage of financial and other capabilities available with private sector, opening up of the nuclear industry to private may bring in healthy competition and a higher degree of public acceptance. This paper attempts to study the constraints and issues in expanding the nuclear power programme and private participation in the existing policy arena and makes recommendations, which may be useful for formulating a comprehensive Nuclear Policy covering legal, regulatory and operational requirements.