How is India planning to increase nuclear energy to 9% by 2047 and achieve net zero target by 2070?

India plans to increase its use of nuclear power to 9% of its electricity generation by 2047, the centenary year of the country’s independence, according to Union Minister Jitendra Singh. The move towards greater use of nuclear energy is part of India’s commitment to achieving the net zero target by 2070. During 2021-22, nuclear power reactors generated 47,112 million units of electricity, about 3.15 per cent of the total electricity generated in the country, Singh had told Lok Sabha.

Develop reactors

The Department of Atomic Energy has been tasked with achieving a 20 GW capacity of nuclear power generation by 2030, which would make India the world’s third-largest producer of atomic energy after the US and France. Singh attributed this rapid progress to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to approve the development of 10 reactors in a fleet mode in a single order and allow nuclear installations to be developed under joint ventures with PSUs. The 10 reactors will come up in Karnataka, Haryana Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. These reactors will be developed at a cost of Rs 1,05,000 crores

Current Status

India currently has the sixth-highest number of functional nuclear reactors worldwide and the second-highest number of reactors, including those under construction. During 2021-22, nuclear power reactors generated 47,112 million units of electricity, approximately 3.15% of the total electricity generated in the country. The current installed nuclear power capacity is expected to increase from 6,780 MW to 22,480 MW by 2031, with the progressive completion of projects under construction and sanction.

Expansion

Officials have set ambitious goals of bringing 20 new nuclear power facilities online over the next decade, more than doubling the number of operating nuclear power plants in the country. Haryana state in northern India will host a 1,400-MW facility under construction near Gorakhpur village, about 90 miles northwest of New Delhi, featuring two 700-MW pressurized heavy-water reactors (PHWR) of Indian design. The U.S. and India signed a deal in 2019 where the U.S. pledged to support the construction of at least six nuclear power plants in India.

Challenges & Solutions

Fast additions of nuclear power likely would require changes to India’s historical construction timelines of new reactors. An analysis of data from the International Atomic Energy Agency shows the median construction time for nuclear plants in India historically has been just over 14 years, from the start of construction until the connection to the power grid. Officials have said the country must improve that mark to achieve its nuclear power goals, citing the same analysis that shows China has been building and commissioning nuclear reactors in less than six years.

Nuclear power is a zero-emission, clean energy source. It generates power through fission, which is the process of splitting uranium atoms to produce energy. The heat released by fission is used to create steam that spins a turbine to generate electricity without the harmful by-products emitted by fossil fuels. However, the government must address some downsides to nuclear power, including ineffective disposal and storage of nuclear waste as uranium decomposes into harmful sub-atomic masses.

Diversifying India’s Energy Mix

The government has set a goal of having 500 GW of energy from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030, which would require a rapid ramp-up of nuclear and renewable energy generation capacity. India has robust renewable energy technologies and frameworks, but a nature-based supply has many constraints. Therefore, India must diversify its energy basket and seek out alternatives such as nuclear energy to meet its growing needs.