**Executive Summary**
This document outlines India's strategy to leverage its thorium reserves for nuclear power generation. The government aims to achieve a capacity of approximately 100 GW by 2047, with a progressive increase to 22 GW by 2031-32. The Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme is central to this plan, focusing on utilizing thorium reserves and maximizing the use of domestic fissile resources.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Nuclear Capacity Expansion:**
* Goal: Reach a nuclear power capacity of approximately 100 GW by 2047.
* Interim target: Increase capacity to about 22 GW by 2031-32.
* NPCIL's contribution: Plans to contribute about 54 GW to the 100 GW goal.
* **Thorium Utilization:**
* India has limited uranium but abundant thorium reserves.
* Thorium needs to be converted to fissile uranium-233 in a nuclear reactor.
* Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme aims for optimum utilization of thorium.
* **Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme:**
* Multiply domestically available fissile resources.
* Phase 1: Use natural uranium in Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs).
* Phase 2: Use plutonium from PHWRs in Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs).
* Phase 3: Large scale utilization of thorium making use of fissile uranium-233 bred from thorium in a breeder reactor fuelled using plutonium, after adequate FBR capacity.
* **Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR):**
* BHAVINI commissioning a 500 MWe PFBR project at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.
* Approval granted for pre-project activities for 2 x 500 MWe FBR 1&2 project at Kalpakkam.
* **Environmental and Social Impact:**
* Environmental and social impact assessment study to be conducted.
* BHAVINI taking measures to gain local population confidence through CSR and outreach.
* Outreach explains advantages of nuclear power and safety features of PFBR.
**Impact Analysis**
**Government (Department of Atomic Energy)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for implementing the Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme and achieving the targeted nuclear power capacity.
* **Action Required:** Continue to develop and execute the roadmap for nuclear power expansion, including thorium utilization and FBR development.
**NPCIL**
* **Impact:** Key contributor to the overall nuclear capacity target.
* **Action Required:** Implement plans to contribute 54 GW towards the 100 GW capacity by 2047.
**BHAVINI**
* **Impact:** Overseeing the commissioning and development of Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs).
* **Action Required:** Successfully commission the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) project and carry out pre-project activities for the FBR 1&2 project at Kalpakkam. Conduct environmental and social impact assessments and outreach activities.
**Local Population (Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu)**
* **Impact:** Potentially affected by the development of nuclear power projects in the region.
* **Action Required:** Engage with BHAVINI's outreach activities to understand the advantages and safety features of nuclear power and the PFBR project.
Key Entities Referenced
Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme: India's nuclear power programme aiming towards optimum utilisation of limited uranium resources and exploitation of abundant thorium reserves.
BHAVINI: Currently commissioning a 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) project.
Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs): Reactors used in the second and third stages of the Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme, designed to breed fissile material.
Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu: Location of the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) project
thorium: Abundant resource intended to be leveraged by India for energy production
Department of Atomic Energy
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: LEVERAGING INDIA’S
THORIUM RESERVES
प्रव तथ: 18 DEC 2025 3:09PM by PIB Delhi
The Government has drawn up a comprehensive road map to reach a capacity of about 100 GW by 2047.
The present nuclear power capacity is planned to be increased to about 22 GW by 2031-32 on progressive
completion of projects under implementation. Further, NPCIL has drawn up plans to contribute about 54
GW out of the 100 GW capacity envisioned by 2047.
India has limited uranium and abundant thorium reserves. Thorium unlike uranium, is a fertile material
and need to be converted to fissile uranium-233 in a nuclear reactor, before it can be used to generate
energy by nuclear fission. Realising this, the Three- Stage Nuclear Power Programme envisaged by the
Department remains a key component of the India’s nuclear power programme aiming towards optimum
utilisation of limited uranium resources and exploitation of abundant thorium reserves for long term
energy security in sustainable manner.
The Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme aims to multiply the domestically available fissile resource
through the use of natural uranium in Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs), followed by use of
plutonium, obtained from the spent fuel of PHWRs, in Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs). Large scale
utilisation of thorium will subsequently follow, making use of fissile uranium-233 bred from thorium in a
breeder reactor fuelled using plutonium, only after adequate installed capacity of FBRs has been achieved.
BHAVINI is currently commissioning a 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) project at
Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. Government has accorded approval to carry out pre-project activities for 2 x
500 MWe twin unit of FBR 1&2 project at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu.
Environmental and social impact assessment study as per the applicable norms will be carried out for
these projects. BHAVINI is taking adequate measures to gain the confidence of the local population
through planned CSR and outreach activities. In the outreach activities, advantages of nuclear power and
the safety features of PFBR are explained to the local public and to the students from schools & colleges
from the neighborhood.
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NKR/AK
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