Khattar, Jitendra Singh Review 100 GW Nuclear Energy Mission, Push Private Role

In a decisive step towards accelerating India’s clean energy transition, Power Minister Shri Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, jointly chaired a high-level review meeting on the 100 GW Nuclear Energy Mission at Parliament House, New Delhi.

The meeting was held against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to expand India’s clean energy basket and reaffirm the country’s commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions. It focused on detailed strategies to scale up nuclear power generation as a critical component of India’s long-term energy security plan.

Roadmap to Boost Nuclear Capacity

Officials reviewed the national roadmap to increase nuclear energy capacity from the current 8.8 GW to 22 GW by 2032, representing a nearly 150% increase. This will be achieved through the addition of 14 GW from ongoing and upcoming projects, forming part of the larger target of 100 GW by the following decades.

Opening the Nuclear Sector to Private Participation

Dr. Jitendra Singh emphasised the landmark policy shift of opening India’s nuclear sector to private sector involvement — a move aimed at boosting investment, enhancing technological innovation, and diversifying implementation capacity.

He highlighted the Bharat Small Modular Reactor (SMR) program as a key enabler of this vision. The enthusiastic response from industries has prompted the extension of the Request for Proposal (RFP) submission deadline to 30 September 2025 to enable wider participation and foster competition.

“Many private players were pleasantly surprised by the opportunity to participate in the nuclear sector. The government is committed to handholding, providing awareness, and facilitating their involvement,” Dr. Singh stated.

Directives to Fast-Track Implementation

The ministers issued several key directives to ensure timely execution of the nuclear expansion plan:

• Streamlining regulatory clearances to reduce procedural delays

• Standardizing documentation to simplify approvals

• Optimizing processing timelines across agencies

• Promoting generic proposals to accelerate replication

• Synchronizing licenses for smoother coordination between regulators

• Investing in technical upgradation and capacity building within the sector

Shri Manohar Lal Khattar underscored the importance of strict adherence to timelines and stressed that all stakeholders must work in unison to meet the expansion targets set in the roadmap.

Senior Leadership in Attendance

The meeting was attended by top officials from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Department of Power, including:

• Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary, DAE & Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

• Shri Pankaj Agrawal, Secretary, Power

• Shri Gurdeep Singh, Chairman & MD, NTPC Limited

• Shri Bhuwan Chandra Pathak, Chairman & MD, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)

• Senior technical and policy officials from both departments

Strategic Significance for India’s Energy Future

The 100 GW Nuclear Energy Mission is envisioned as a cornerstone of India’s strategy to diversify its clean energy sources, reduce carbon emissions, and ensure reliable baseload power for the nation’s growing economy. The integration of private sector expertise and technological innovation is expected to accelerate project execution, reduce costs, and enhance operational efficiency.

By aligning policy reforms, industry engagement, and advanced nuclear technology development, the mission seeks to position India as a global leader in safe, sustainable, and scalable nuclear power generation.