Nuclear Energy in India : Updates
- Thread starter Himanshu
- Start date
Report on this from NEI:
India licences NFC-Kota fuel plant - Nuclear Engineering International
India’s AERB has granted NFC-Kota an operating licence to produce fuel for 700 MWe PHWRs, strengthening the country’s nuclear fuel cycle.
www.neimagazine.com
India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted an operating licence to the Nuclear Fuel Complex-Kota (NFC-Kota), which will provide fuel for 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs). The facility in Rajasthan’s Rawatbhata has a licensed annual capacity of 500 tonnes of natural uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel assemblies.
The licence was granted after AERB conducted a detailed safety assessment under its regulatory framework. “The activities at NFC-Kota are of low hazard category. The systems required for radioactive waste management and prevention of spread of contamination during operation are available,” AERB noted. “The application, the subsequent submissions and the review carried out have shown that the associated safety aspects have been adequately addressed.”
The licence is non-transferable and subject to modification, suspension, or revocation, as considered necessary by the AERB. It includes conditions such as adherence to reporting of safety-significant events and submission of periodic health physics reports.
The Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC) headquarters in Hyderabad submitted its application for an operating licence for the Kota facility in March 2026. The authorisation also covers the safe handling, disposal, and transfer of radioactive waste, and is valid until 30 April 2031. The approval follows the Consent for Hot Commissioning issued in November 2025 after NFC-Kota’s satisfactory demonstration of fuel bundle assembly production in April 2023.
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) said operational clearance for NFC-Kota “marks a decisive step in strengthening the nation’s nuclear fuel cycle”, meaning NFC is now “fully geared” to supply nuclear fuel for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd’s 700 MWe indigenous PHWRs.
India is constructing 10 indigenous 700 MWe PHWRs in “fleet mode” to boost nuclear capacity. These include: the Kaiga Atomic Power Project (KAPP-5&6) in Karnataka; Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana (GHAVP-3&4) in Haryana; Chutka Madhya Pradesh Atomic Power Project (CMPAPP-1&2) in Madhya Pradesh; and Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (MBRAPP-1-4) in Rajasthan. The 700 MWe PHWRs already in operation include units 3&4 at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS-3&4) and unit 7 at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS-7) where RAPS-8 is undergoing commissioning.
NFC was established in late 1960s as a pivotal industrial arm of the Department of Atomic Energy with the mandate to fuel India’s nuclear power programme. It is the only facility worldwide to have a comprehensive manufacturing cycle from ore to core, involving processing of both uranium and zirconium streams under the same roof. NFC manufactures assemblies for existing PHWRs (mostly 200 MWe), boiling water reactors (BWRs) and fast breeder reactors as well as many reactor core components, various tubes, and high purity special materials.
It has developed state-of-art facilities and process technologies with several innovations in the field of nuclear fuel production and fabrication. The complex also symbolises the strong emphasis on self-reliance in the Indian nuclear power programme.
From BARC Newsletter from 2023:
Information on AHWR:
Information on IPWR:
Information on IMSBR:
Information about IHTR/CHTR:
Information on IADS:
Other "New Energy" Systems:
Information on AHWR:
Information on IPWR:
Information on IMSBR:
Information about IHTR/CHTR:
Information on IADS:
Other "New Energy" Systems:
Name a country that does not use nuke power for energy needs, asks Supreme Court
Supreme Court questions nuclear energy reliance, as petitioner challenges SHANTI Act's liability limits for private nuclear operators in India.
azad engineering concall
Question: Got it. Just a follow-up. In terms of the new theme which is emerging on energy side, which is nuclear. Do we have any scope or any opportunity which can -- we can participate or play in the nuclear opportunity?
Question: Got it. Just a follow-up. In terms of the new theme which is emerging on energy side, which is nuclear. Do we have any scope or any opportunity which can -- we can participate or play in the nuclear opportunity?
World's oldest operating nuclear units back on India's grid
Friday, 19 June 2026
Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), image from a NPCIL video
Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS), image from a NPCIL video
Tarapur 1 and 2 are BWR units commissioned at the site in Maharashtra in 1969 as India's first commercial nuclear power plant. Built by GE on a turnkey contract, the units were originally rated at 200 MWe but were subsequently downrated to 160 MWe (gross). They underwent six months' refurbishment in 2005-06, and have both been offline since 2020 for major refurbishment work.
The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) announced last month that it had approved the restart and continued operation of unit 2 at the Tarapur power plant in Maharashtra on 7 May following the completion of the refurbishment undertaken by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
The refurbishment included the complete replacement of reactor coolant recirculation piping with forged piping and fittings made of advanced corrosion-resistant stainless steel, the regulator said, as well as safety upgrades including the commissioning of the reactor containment filtered venting system and the alternate cooling water system. During the extended outage, inspections of critical reactor components such as reactor pressure vessel welds were carried out as part of the assessment of the unit's ageing status and residual operating life. "The evaluations have shown that the reactor can continue safe operation with the normal maintenance and surveillance programme," the AERB said.
The regulator has given permission for the unit - known as TAPS (for Tarapur Atomic Power Station) unit 2 - to operate for a further 10 years. It issued a permit for TAPS unit 1 to restart after its refurbishment last December: that unit is now operating at its rated power of 160 MWe.
NPCIL said, in a post on social media site X, that the reconnection of both units was "a major milestone in India's nuclear power programme … this achievement reaffirms the enduring legacy of India's first nuclear power station and reflects the dedication, technical expertise and unwavering commitment of Team NPCIL. For over five decades, TAPS-1 & 2 have contributed to the nation's energy security and development while providing clean, reliable and low-carbon electricity. The successful operation of both units marks another significant milestone in India's nuclear energy journey and demonstrates the strength of indigenous capabilities, engineering excellence and a robust safety culture. As India advances towards a cleaner and more secure energy future, Tarapur continues to stand as a symbol of innovation, resilience and technological excellence".
As well as the BWR units, the Tarapur Atomic Power Station site is home to two operating Indian-designed pressurised heavy water reactors, Tarapur 3 and 4, connected to the grid in 2005 and 2006, respectively. It has also been proposed as the site for the construction of the lead units of two Indian-designed small modular reactors: the BSMR-200, a 200 MWe reactor based on pressurised water reactor technology, and the 55 MWe SMR-55.
World's oldest operating nuclear units back on India's grid
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited says that following extensive modernisation and refurbishment the first two units at India's oldest nuclear power plant, Tarapur Atomic Power Station, are now back delivering power. ;
www.world-nuclear-news.org
====
50+ years of safe operation, and another decade to go! TAPS is a global testament to the reliability of nuclear power.
