India has achieved a remarkable milestone in clean energy, generating over one thousand billion units from nuclear power. This achievement helps avoid more than 860 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. The government aims to increase nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047, with an intermediate target of 22 GW by 2031-32. This expansion will involve multiple stakeholders and the introduction of new legislation.
NEW DELHI: In a milestone for India’s clean energy production, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has cumulatively generated over 1,000 billion units of nuclear electricity.NPCIL said Tuesday, “Since commencement of commercial operation, NPCIL’s nuclear power plants have cumulatively generated over 1,000 billion units of clean electricity, thereby avoiding over 860 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions into the environment.”“This milestone reflects NPCIL’s steadfast commitment to deliver safe, reliable and sustainable nuclear power, strengthening India’s energy security while supporting the nation’s clean energy transition and climate goals,” it said on XTo give the scale of how much carbon emission is avoided, a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tonnes of CO2 per year. Avoiding 860 million tonnes is equal to taking roughly 187 million gasoline-powered cars going off the road for an entire year. At least 860 million tonnes is roughly equivalent to the total annual greenhouse gas emissions of a major industrial country like Germany or Japan for a full year.Govt has drawn up a roadmap for reaching the 100 GW nuclear power capacity in the next two decades by 2047, as announced in the Nuclear Energy Mission in the Budget 2025-26, thereby increasing the share of reliable, low-carbon base-load nuclear energy in the country’s energy mix and reaching the goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2070. The present nuclear power capacity of 8.78 GW is expected to reach about 22 GW by 2031-32 on progressive completion of projects presently at various stages of implementation. Another 32 GW of nuclear power capacity is envisaged to be set up beyond 2032 by NPCIL under the administrative control of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
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This will comprise indigenous pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) and light water reactors (LWRs) planned to be set up by 2047, taking NPCIL’s nuclear power capacity to 54 GW.The balance of 46 GW comprising reactors of different technologies, is expected to be set up by other public sector enterprises, private sector and joint ventures in different business models. With the govt enacting the SHANTI Act (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Act, 2025) last year, the new law provides the legal framework that makes this 46 GW expansion possible.
