State-owned NTPC is planning to initiate feasibility studies in more states, including Uttar Pradesh, for proposed nuclear power projects as part of its drive to expand non-fossil fuel energy capacity to at least 2 GW by 2032. According to a senior official, the company has completed feasibility studies in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha and will now explore locations in additional states. As reported by PTI, NTPC, which has five decades of experience in power generation, is targeting to set up 30 GW of nuclear projects in the country to contribute to the government's ambitious 100 GW nuclear capacity target by 2047. The company's plan is to set up an average project having 1,400 MW with two units of 700 MW each.
The feasibility study has identified Banka in Bihar, Basai in Madhya Pradesh and Nabarangpur in Odisha as potential sites for nuclear projects. As reported by PTI, the official confirmed that more states will be explored as the vision is 30 GW nuclear capacity by 2047, with Uttar Pradesh specifically on their list for feasibility studies. The official stated that "of course, Uttar Pradesh is on our list along with more states. We will conduct feasibility studies soon" as part of their energy diversification strategy.
Industry estimates suggest that to set up a nuclear power capacity of 1 gigawatt, typically an investment of ₹15,000-20,000 crore is required, and the timeframe could be at least three years from concept to commissioning. According to the official, five litres of water is needed to produce 1 unit of nuclear power, with continuous water supply being a key requirement. The land requirement depends on the size of the project, with a 1-square-kilometre exclusion zone needed for nuclear projects. Among other inputs, continuous water supply remains a critical requirement for nuclear project operations.
For technology, NTPC is exploring collaborations with global energy players such as US-based Westinghouse, Rosatom of Russia and French company EDF to explore collaboration on deploying large pressurised water reactor (PWR) projects in India. As reported by PTI, the feasibility study for nuclear projects is submitted to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). The Standing Site Selection Committee reviews the proposal, and if found technically feasible, puts it to the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) for further processing.
The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has estimated that an investment worth ₹15 lakh crore will be required to scale up the country's nuclear capacity target to 100 GW by adding around 91 GW to the current 8.8 GW. With over 91,000 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity, NTPC is India's largest energy generating company catering to the country's one-fourth electricity demand alone. The company has steadily expanded and diversified into new energy sources, spanning coal, gas/liquid fuel, hydro and solar power over its five decades of power generation experience.
