India Expands Nuclear Power Capacity with 24 Operational Reactors and New Projects

India Expands Nuclear Power Capacity with 24 Operational Reactors and New Projects

July 15, 2026

India continues to strengthen its clean energy portfolio through the expansion of its nuclear power programme. The country currently operates 24 nuclear power reactors across seven nuclear power plant sites, with a combined installed capacity of 8.78 GW, making nuclear energy an important contributor to India’s low-carbon electricity mix.

To further increase reliable baseload power generation, 10 additional nuclear reactors with a combined capacity of 8,000 MW are currently under construction. These projects include indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) along with Light Water Reactors (LWRs), supporting India’s long-term strategy of expanding domestic nuclear generation.

India primarily utilizes natural uranium fuel for its PHWR fleet while continuing to develop advanced nuclear technologies under its three-stage nuclear programme. Nuclear power offers continuous, weather-independent electricity generation, complementing the rapid growth of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind by providing stable baseload power to the national grid.

The Government has outlined an ambitious roadmap to significantly increase nuclear capacity over the coming decades. According to official plans, installed nuclear power capacity is expected to reach around 22 GW by 2031-32, with a long-term national objective of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 as part of India’s clean energy and energy security strategy.

As electricity demand continues to grow due to industrial expansion, urbanization, electric mobility, and digital infrastructure, nuclear energy is expected to play an increasingly important role alongside renewable energy, battery storage, and modern transmission systems in building a resilient and sustainable power sector.