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UPSC MainsGeneral Studies Paper IIIScience and TechnologyPractice question

Nuclear Energy and SMRs for India's 2047 Targets

India's pursuit of 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047 marks a significant shift in its energy strategy. Discuss how nuclear energy, including Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), can contribute to India's energy security and the growing electricity demand of emerging technologies. Also examine the challenges involved in scaling up nuclear power in India.

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Introduce India's nuclear capacity expansion plans in the context of achieving net-zero by 2070 and powering emerging technology sectors. Discuss the contribution of nuclear power and Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) towards firm baseload energy security and meeting data-intensive technological needs. Examine the financial, regulatory, fuel, and social challenges to scaling capacity, concluding with key policy priorities.

Model answer

365 words

Introduction

India's ambitious target to scale its nuclear power capacity from approximately 8.8 GW across 24 operational reactors to 100 GW by 2047 represents a fundamental pivot in national energy strategy. This expansion is vital for balancing energy sovereignty, meeting the net-zero goal by 2070, and satisfying the surging electricity needs of rapid technological industrialization.

Role of Nuclear Energy and SMRs in Energy Security and Emerging Technologies

  • Firm Baseload for Emerging Tech: Advanced digital infrastructure, including artificial intelligence clusters, hyperscale data centres, and semiconductor fabrication facilities, necessitates uninterrupted, 24x7 clean power. Nuclear energy supplies reliable, low-carbon baseload electricity, overcoming the natural intermittency of solar and wind systems.
  • Grid Stability and Inertia: As variable renewable energy integration increases, nuclear power plants provide essential mechanical inertia and dispatchable voltage support, preserving national grid stability.
  • Strategic Advantages of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): With modular designs operating at capacities typically up to 300 MW, SMRs require smaller footprints and shorter construction timelines. Initiatives like the Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) allow for the repurposing of retiring thermal coal plant sites and offer dedicated captive clean power directly to energy-intensive industrial corridors.

Challenges in Scaling Up Nuclear Power

  • Capital Intensity and Financing Constraints: Reaching 100 GW requires massive capital expenditure, estimated at around ₹19 lakh crore. Conventional large-scale Light Water Reactors (LWRs) carry high upfront costs and protracted gestation timelines that strain public financing.
  • Land Acquisition and Public Resistance: Securing contiguous land packages frequently faces public opposition over safety, rehabilitation, and environmental disruptions, as observed in proposed mega-projects like Jaitapur (Maharashtra) and Kovvada (Andhra Pradesh).
  • Regulatory and Liability Regimes: Transitioning away from the supplier-liability bottlenecks historically associated with the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act, 2010 towards streamlined regulatory mechanisms remains crucial for restoring foreign vendor confidence and enabling private sector participation.
  • Fuel Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Scaling reactor capacity far beyond domestic uranium output creates external fuel dependency, leaving operations vulnerable to international supply chain disruptions until commercial utilization of the domestic Thorium-based Stage-III program matures.

Conclusion

Realizing the 100 GW nuclear roadmap requires streamlining private investments, completing fleet-mode Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) installations on time, and accelerating fast breeder reactor technology to secure fuel self-sufficiency and sustain long-term economic growth.

Key facts to remember

definition
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)

Advanced nuclear reactors with a power capacity typically up to 300 MW(e) per unit, designed for factory fabrication and modular assembly to reduce on-site construction time and capital exposure.

statistic

Scaling India's nuclear power capacity to the planned 100 GW mark by 2047 is projected to require an estimated capital expenditure of ₹19 lakh crore.

scheme
Bharat Small Reactors (BSR) Initiative

A government-backed program under the Nuclear Energy Mission aimed at operationalizing indigenous small reactors to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors and replace retiring thermal units.

Frequently asked questions

Why are SMRs suitable for data centres and emerging technologies?

Data centres and AI facilities require high-density, uninterrupted power without carbon emissions; SMRs can be deployed close to demand hubs on smaller land parcels to provide dedicated captive baseload power.

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