{"id":65176,"date":"2026-01-27T17:34:44","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T12:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=65176"},"modified":"2026-01-28T11:16:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T05:46:49","slug":"nuclear-rd-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/editorial-analysis\/27-01-2026\/nuclear-rd-challenge","title":{"rendered":"Nuclear Power Expansion is an R&#038;D Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Energy Sector<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The <strong>draft National Electricity Policy<\/strong> aims to align the <strong>power sector <\/strong>with<strong> India\u2019s long-term energy goals.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Draft NEP 2026 is a proposed revision of<strong> India\u2019s existing National Electricity Policy (initially notified in 2005).&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It supports<strong> India\u2019s target of reducing emissions intensity of GDP<\/strong> by <strong>45% by 2030 (compared to 2005).<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The policy strongly promotes nuclear energy as a clean, stable, non-weather-dependent power source.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India plans a<strong> 10-fold increase<\/strong> in nuclear power capacity by <strong>2047.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>It supports new technologies<\/strong> like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), which are safer, smaller, and can be set up near factories and cities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Thorium Based Energy: <\/strong>India depends on <strong>imported uranium,<\/strong> so the policy stresses developing thorium-based nuclear energy, where India has large reserves.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The main challenge is boosting research and technology to make thorium energy practical.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"81bbe8\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-114-1024x575.png\" alt=\"nuclear power expansion\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-65177\" style=\"--dominant-color: #81bbe8; aspect-ratio:1.7808990625103522;width:400px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-114-1024x575.png 1024w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-114-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-114-768x431.png 768w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-114.png 1140w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need to Increase Nuclear Capacity<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Nuclear Capacity Goal:<\/strong> India\u2019s plans to increase its nuclear power capacity from the current 8,180 MW to 22,480 MW by 2031-32 and eventually 100 GW by 2047.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Energy Demand Growth:<\/strong> India&#8217;s electricity demand is expected to increase 4-5 times by 2047, and nuclear power will help meet base-load demand alongside renewables.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India\u2019s Targets:<\/strong> To reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by 44% by 2030 from the 2005 level.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To achieve 50% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel-based energy resources by 2030.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Challenges&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Limited Indigenous Experience:<\/strong> India\u2019s nuclear programme has historically focused on <strong>Pressurized heavy-water reactor (PHWRs)<\/strong> and fast breeder reactors, leading to limited domestic expertise in<strong> Light Water Reactor (LWR)<\/strong> design and operation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#ebecf0\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Light Water Reactors<\/strong><br>&#8211; <strong>Light Water Reactors<\/strong> form a mainstay of the <strong>global nuclear program<\/strong> currently account for over <strong>85% of the civil nuclear reactor capacity in the world.<\/strong><br>a. They use <strong>ordinary (light) water as both a coolant and a neutron moderator<\/strong>.<br>&#8211; <strong>LWRs<\/strong> entail <strong>simpler design and engineering<\/strong> compared to heavy water reactors given that they use normal water as<strong> both coolant and moderator<\/strong>.&nbsp;<br>&#8211; <strong>Low Cost:<\/strong> It usually involves lower construction costs due to economies of scale and they are considered <strong>more thermally efficient.<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Limited domestic uranium:<\/strong> India has low-grade and limited uranium reserves, forcing dependence on imports.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Long-term nuclear expansion needs assured fuel supply agreements with foreign countries.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High capital cost:<\/strong> Nuclear plants require huge upfront investment and long construction periods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Technological constraints: <\/strong>Advanced technologies like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are still at an early stage in India.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Safety and public concerns:<\/strong> Fear of nuclear accidents leads to local opposition and delays in projects.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Thorium utilisation gap: <\/strong>Though India has large thorium reserves, commercial technology is still under development.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Nuclear Energy Mission &amp; Capacity Targets: <\/strong>The Government has launched a Nuclear Energy Mission aimed at expanding nuclear power capacity to about 100 GW by 2047.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This mission emphasises enhancing domestic capabilities and adopting advanced technologies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Indigenous Reactor Development: <\/strong>Such as Bharat Small Reactors are under development to support scalable deployment.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>While these are PHWR and SMR variants, they lay the groundwork for a broader nuclear innovation ecosystem.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme:<\/strong> India has a long-term strategy to utilise India\u2019s thorium reserves through PHWRs, Fast Breeder Reactors and thorium-based reactors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>SHANTI Act, 2025: <\/strong>It enables capacity expansion, advanced reactor technologies and wider participation in nuclear power generation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Research &amp; Development Funding: <\/strong>The Union Budget 2025-26 allocated significant funding (around \u20b920,000 crores) for R&amp;D in advanced nuclear technologies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>International Cooperation &amp; Tech Access: <\/strong>The government is working on international partnerships and technology transfer mechanisms that can help bridge experience gaps in technologies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>India\u2019s Thorium Reserves<\/strong><br>&#8211; India has one of the largest reserves of thorium in the world.<br><br><img data-dominant-color=\"2bb499\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"450\" height=\"149\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-65183\" style=\"--dominant-color: #2bb499; width: 450px;\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-27-174425.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-27-174425.png 462w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-27-174425-300x99.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><br><br>a. Together, <strong>Kerala and Odisha account for over 70% <\/strong>of India\u2019s thorium.<br>&#8211; India has been developing a <strong>three-stage nuclear program,<\/strong> with thorium-based reactors being a critical part of the third stage.<br>&#8211; <strong>Challenges: <\/strong>Extracting thorium from ores requires high amounts of energy and creates significant waste.<br>a. While India has large thorium reserves, extracting it for nuclear energy use has faced challenges, including the need for advanced reactor technology and economic viability.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India is all set for<strong> transformative and multi-dimensional growth<\/strong> of clean and renewable energy sources; however, India should accelerate <strong>R&amp;D on thorium reactors <\/strong>by strengthening industry collaboration with the stakeholders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India can <strong>develop pilot and demonstration projects<\/strong> to move thorium technology from lab to commercial scale.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nuclear energy can give India clean, secure and indigenous power, but only sustained R&amp;D, policy support and institutional commitment can unlock its full potential.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background has-fixed-layout\" style=\"background-color:#fff2cc\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Daily Mains Practice Question<\/strong><br><strong>[Q]<\/strong> Examine the role of nuclear technology in ensuring India\u2019s long-term energy security and meeting its climate commitments.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/editorials\/nuclear-power-expansion-is-an-rd-challenge-10494686\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Daily-Editorial-Analysis-27-01-2026.pdf\"><strong>Download PDF<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Published on:<\/strong> 27 January, 2026<\/p>\n<p>The draft National Electricity Policy aims to align the power sector with India\u2019s long-term energy goals.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":65179,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-65176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editorial-analysis"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Editorial-Analysis-900-600-1-2.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65176"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65176\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65214,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65176\/revisions\/65214"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}