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India Targets 100 GW Nuclear Capacity by 2047, 5 New Reactors This Decade for AI & Chip Demand

Target:UPSC GS-IIIMPSCSSC GATeachingPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
15 Aug 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:100 GW by 20475 new reactors by 20338.7 GWe (25 reactors)₹20,000 croreBSMR-200 (200 MWe)55 MWe SMR
Bodies:DAEBARCNPCIL
Practice MCQs from today's news ▸
What This Article Covers

1.PM Modi set a target of 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047 and 5 new reactors by 2033, citing rising power demand from AI, chips, and data centres.

2.The SHANTI Act (passed last year) and its draft rules (released Aug 2026) open India's civil nuclear sector to wider private participation and foreign collaboration.

3.India is pursuing a dual approach: large PHWRs for base capacity and indigenous SMRs (BSMR-200, 55 MWe SMR, 5 MWt HTR) under a ₹20,000 crore Nuclear Energy Mission.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

PM Modi announced a target of 100 GW nuclear power by 2047 and 5 new reactors this decade, driven by soaring electricity demand from AI, semiconductors, and data centres. The SHANTI Act and draft rules now enable private participation, with a focus on small modular reactors (SMRs) for faster deployment and grid flexibility.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Nuclear Capacity Target100 GW by 2047
New Reactors This Decade5 (by 2033)
Current Operational Capacity8.7 GWe (25 reactors)
Nuclear Energy Mission Outlay₹20,000 crore
Indigenous SMR (BSMR-200)200 MWe
First Indigenous FBRKalpakkam (achieved criticality Apr 2026)

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Nuclear Capacity Target: 100 GW by 2047
  • ›New Reactors This Decade: 5 (by 2033)
  • ›Target this Data: 100 GW nuclear capacity target by 2047; 5 new reactors by 2033; current operational capacity 8.7 GWe (25 reactors); ₹20,000 crore for Nuclear Energy Mission
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) – released draft rules under SHANTI Act; Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) – designing indigenous SMRs
  • ›Target this Legal Point: SHANTI Act (passed last year) – enables private participation in civil nuclear sector; draft rules for licensing, safety, liability

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which organisation is responsible for designing the indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) under India's Nuclear Energy Mission?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding India's nuclear power programme:

1. India currently has 25 operational nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 8.7 GWe.

2. The SHANTI Act was passed in 2026 to enable wider private participation in the civil nuclear sector.

3. India's first indigenous fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam achieved criticality in April 2026.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

What is the total budgetary outlay announced for India's Nuclear Energy Mission to research, design, develop, and deploy Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

Why is India focusing on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) alongside large conventional reactors for its nuclear expansion?

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