List of Nuclear Power Plants in India

After thermal, hydroelectric, and renewable forms of electricity, nuclear power is India’s fifth-largest electricity source. In the 1960s, India began building a domestic nuclear energy capacity, including the design, fabrication, and running of pressurized heavy-water reactors (PHWR).

This also gained expertise in the whole fuel cycle, including exploration, mining, extraction, fuel manufacture, recycling, and management of waste. This has been made feasible by a 40-year program of inclusive growth and sustainable development and continuous Research & Development. There have undoubtedly been disruptions owing to insufficient infrastructure and isolation from sophisticated nations as a result of sanctions prohibiting the transfer of some nuclear-related skills.

The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) is a government-owned Indian enterprise based in Mumbai that is responsible for nuclear power generation for energy. NPCIL is under the control of the Indian government’s Department of Atomic Energy. Tarapur is India’s biggest nuclear power plant.

Updates regarding Nuclear Power Plants in India 2023

New Nuclear Power Plants: The Union Cabinet accepted a plan to develop 10 additional nuclear power stations on May 18, 2017, increasing India’s nuclear power producing capacity by 7000MW. The reactors will be 700 MW heavy water pressurized reactors developed in the United States.

The Deal regarding two Nuclear Reactors: In Tamil Nadu, Russia and India decided to collaborate to finish the last two units of the Kundankulam nuclear power facility, which was just recently completed. The nuclear agreement between India and Russia calls for the construction of up to 12 nuclear power plants by 2035.

This blog will include the list of Working Nuclear Power Plants in India as of 2023, as well as Planned and Under Construction Nuclear Power Plants in India. You may also get questions in General awareness section from this category.

Power Plants Working

Power Plants under Construction

Planned Projects for the Future

Facts & Importance of Nuclear Power Plants

• Thermal power plants are nuclear power facilities. They transform water into high-pressure steam using heat generated by nuclear fission. To generate energy, steam drives a turbine generator.

• In 31 nations, nuclear power facilities are operational. The majority of them are found in America, East, and South Asia, and the U.S.A. With 28 new reactors under construction, nuclear power produces the highest percentage of electricity in France; China has the world’s fastest-growing nuclear power system.

• Nuclear power’s importance to the country’s energy security is becoming obvious. Nuclear power is the only large-scale, carbon-free electrical source that the country can use to generate substantial amounts of electricity.
• Ninety-six nuclear reactors generate around 20% of the country’s power in the U.S.A. Columbia Generating Station produces approximately 10% of Washington’s electricity, sufficient to light about one million households.
• Nuclear power facilities avoid the release of substantial amounts of greenhouse gases that would be produced if fossil fuels were used to produce the same quantity of energy.
• Fission is a nuclear energy-producing process that involves breaking uranium atoms. This generates heat, which is then converted to steam, which is then utilized to power a turbine generator. Because nuclear power plants do not burn fuel, they do not generate greenhouse gases. Because it emits no carbon, it will continue to be a key renewable energy source in the future.

Safety Concerns

Historically, safety has gotten the greatest attention out of all elements of nuclear technology. Except for a few rare incidents, nuclear reactors have had an excellent safety record across the world. More than 425 nuclear power reactors are in operation across the world now, providing one-sixth of the world’s electricity. This, in and of itself, demonstrates that nuclear technology is widely regarded as a safe resource. Indian nuclear facilities have a good safety record, and the experience acquired in dealing with the repercussions of a few mishaps has served to validate the safety measures’ validity.

Although such safety regulations are great, they must be improved further to avoid the necessity for public evacuation in the event of a major disaster, which contributes to the public’s negative perception of nuclear power. Radiation impacts, radwaste handling, decommissioning, and mishap hazards in reactors are all major safety concerns. It has been appropriately handled, and progress is still being made.

During normal operation, radiation exposures to operational staff and the general public are far under the limits set by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). Radiation impacts have never been observed in the regular functioning of nuclear power plants anywhere on the planet. In the nuclear system, radwaste management is a major concern.

Radwaste is separated from the biosphere, whereas fossil plant gases are released into the atmosphere. India produced radwaste management technology ahead of schedule, thus no additional discoveries are necessary. Significant advancements in partitioning and actinide burning technologies are predicted, resulting in a significant reduction in storage duration.  Decommissioning is far from neither being a dangerous nor an expensive process.

This expenditure of decommissioning is often seen as a minor part of the total cost of generating. Despite the fact that absorbing knowledge about nuclear technology is challenging for both laypeople and educated elites, attempts to inform the people should persist. Nuclear energy’s expansion depends on public acceptability, and transparency in all areas of nuclear technology is essential for developing trust.

So, this was the list of all the Indian Nuclear Power Plants. Students studying for academic, competitive, and government tests can also benefit from the facts and list written in this article regarding the Nuclear Power Plants in India.