Parliament Question: Nuclear Power Generation under Atomic Energy Programme

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 360 ANSWERED ON 12.08.2026 NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION UNDER ATOMIC ENERGY PROGRAMME *360. DR. PRABHA MALLIKARJUN Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:- (a) whether the Government has taken steps to expand nuclear power generation under the Atomic Energy programme to meet the growing energy demand of the country including in States such as Karnataka; (b) if so, the current installed nuclear power capacity and its share in the country’s total energy mix; (c) the details of nuclear power projects under construction and proposed including those in the Southern Region; (d) whether the targets under the nuclear power expansion programme have been achieved and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; (e) the details of safety measures and regulatory mechanisms put in place; and (f) the details of roadmap for increasing nuclear power capacity to support country’s clean energy transition? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH) (a) to (f): A statement is laid on the Table of the House. *****Government of India Department of Atomic Energy STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) TO (F) IN RESPECT OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 360 FOR REPLY ON 12.08.2026 REGARDING “NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION UNDER ATOMIC ENERGY PROGRAMME” ASKED BY DR. PRABHA MALLIKARARJUN. (a) Yes. The Government has taken steps to expand nuclear power generation in the country, including in the State of Karnataka, where four units Kaiga–1 to 4 (4 X 220 MW) are in operation, while two more units Kaiga–5&6 (2 X 700 MW) are under construction. (b) The present installed nuclear power capacity in the country is 8,780 MW comprising of 24 nuclear power plants. The share of nuclear energy in the total electricity generation in the country was 3.1% in the year 2025-26. (c) The details are given in Annexure. (d) The present nuclear power capacity of 8.78 GW is expected to reach about 22 GW by 2031-32 on progressive completion of projects which are presently at various stages of construction/ commissioning and under pre-project activities. (e) Highest priority is accorded to safety in all aspects of nuclear power viz. siting, design, construction, commissioning, and operation. Nuclear power plants are designed adopting safety principles of redundancy, diversity and fail-safe design features following an overlapping defence-in-depth approach, in line with codes and guides of Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). There is a robust regulatory mechanism of safety reviews at multiple levels. The operations are performed adopting well laid out procedures by highly qualified, trained and licensed personnel. The safety of nuclear power plants is continuously monitored and reviewed internally and by the AERB. (f) The roadmap for increasing nuclear power capacity comprises: (i) A near-term target of about 22,380 MW by 2031-32, through the 13,600 MW presently under construction/planning; (ii) A long-term target of 100 GW by 2047 under the Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, to be pursued through a combination of large-capacity reactors and indigenously developed Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The SHANTI Act, 2025 additionally enables licensed participation of private Indian companies and joint ventures in the sector in support of this roadmap. *****Annexure Nuclear Power Projects under Construction/ Commissioning Location & State Project Capacity (MW) Rawatbhata, Rajasthan RAPP-8 1 X 700 Gorakhpur, Haryana GHAVP-1&2 2 X 700 KKNPP-3&4 2 X 1000 Kudankulam, Tamilnadu KKNPP-5&6 2 X 1000 Kaiga, Karnataka KAIGA-5&6 2 X 700 Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu PFBR 1 X 500 Projects Under Pre-project Activities Gorakhpur, Haryana GHAVP-3&4 2 X 700 Chutka, Madhya Pradesh CMPAPP-1&2 2 X 700 MBRAPP-1&2 2 X 700 Mahi Banswara, Rajasthan MBRAPP -3&4 2 X 700 Kalpakkam, Tamilnadu FBR -1 & 2 2 X 500 Proposed Nuclear Power Projects Rawatbhata, Rajasthan RAPP-9&10 2 X 700 Kakrapar, Gujarat KAPP-5&6 2 X 700 Narora, Uttar Pradesh NAPP-3&4 2 X 700 In-Principle approved sites Jaitapur, Maharashtra JNPP-1 to 6 6 X 1730 Kovvada, Andhra Pradesh Kovvada-1 to 6 6 X 1208 Haripur, West Bengal Haripur-1 to 6 6 X 1000 Mithi Virdi, Gujarat Mithi Virdi-1 to 6 6 X 1000 Bhimpur, Madhya Pradesh Bhimpur-1 to 4 4 X 700 *****