The state-controlled nuclear power sector in India is exploring allowing more private companies to participate in order to construct tiny modular reactors that will aid in the decarbonization of industry.
The nation is revising its nuclear energy law, which has been in place for six decades, to permit more participation from private enterprises. India presently permits private technology and nuclear plant development, but federal government corporations maintain control over operations and fuel management.
As India, the third-largest emitter of greenhouse emissions, looks for renewable energy sources to lessen its dependence on coal, which now generates around 70% of India's electricity, discussion of modular reactors, or SMRs, has picked up steam recently. In order to achieve its objective of becoming net zero by 2070, the country has pledged to having half of its power generation capacity run on clean sources by the end of this decade.
The largest power producer in the nation, state-run NTPC Ltd., has established itself as a nuclear power leader by placing a huge wager on SMRs since they are quicker to construct and simpler to modify to grid requirements. They can also be used in distant areas as an off-grid power solution. The technology is still in its infancy. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, two reactors were operational at a floating nuclear project in Russia and two more were operational in China as of the previous year.
India now has an atomic power capacity of roughly 7.5 gigawatts, all of which are run by the government-owned Nuclear Power Corp. of India Ltd. By 2031, the country wants to increase it to about 22.5 gigawatts. Large-scale plants will mostly be responsible for the increase.