Nuclear Energy in India: The 3% Question

Electricity is the invisible force that powers modern civilization. It sparked the industrial revolution, fuels technology, drives communication, and sustains nearly every aspect of daily life. Without it, the very foundation of modern society would collapse.

Imagine living in a metro city without electricity for even a week. Water supply systems would fail, as motor pumps that draw water from distant rivers would stop. Hospitals, traffic signals, elevators, schools, offices, and even basic communication networks would be crippled. Our cities would come to a standstill.

Coal-Fired Power Plant at Dusk, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu

In India, most of this electricity still comes from thermal power plants. The tube light you switch on, the fan that cools your room—these function because, somewhere, a steam turbine is probably spinning inside a coal-fired power station. That mechanical energy, converted into electricity, flows through transmission lines to your home.

The Numbers That Matter

According to the February 2025 NITI Aayog Climate and Energy Dashboard, coal-fired power plants account for 72.93% of India’s electricity generation, while nuclear energy contributes just 3.13%. In contrast, the United States generates only about 16% of its electricity from coal, while nearly 19% comes from nuclear energy. Europe has moved even further away from coal—with an average coal share of around 11.7% and a growing nuclear share of approximately 22.8%, depending on the country.

                                                           India's Power Capacity Overview                         Courtesy: NITI Aayog

Total Electricity Generation by Major Economies (2023)

🔌 Per Capita Electricity Consumption (kWh/year)

"A reasonably good correlation exists between the per capita energy consumption and quality of life, as indicated by the UN Human Development Index. This correlation is quite strong in the case of developing countries like India, where the energy demand is largely unfulfilled."   — Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India

Pie Chart

This data clearly shows that India lags significantly behind in electricity generation and consumption when compared to developed nations. To reach a comparable standard of living, India would perhaps need to increase its per capita electricity consumption by at least 4–10 times.

🏭 India’s Coal Supply: Source, Import Dependence & Lifespan

India sources coal for its thermal power plants from both domestic production and imports.

Jharia — one of India’s most polluted regions, caused by extensive coal mining

Domestic Coal Production

India is one of the largest coal producers in the world. Most of the coal used in Indian thermal power plants comes from domestic mines. And according to the Ministry of Coal, as of April 1, 2023, India's total geological coal resources are estimated at 378.21 billion tonnes.  And the Measured (Proved) is  199.90 billion tonnes. ​

Annual coal consumption in India:

                                        Sector-wise coal consumption FY 2023-24         Courtsey: NITI Aayog

• India consumes ~1.2 billion tonnes per year (all sectors combined)
• Thermal power alone consumes ~750–800 million tonnes/year, and predominantly, the coal used in India’s thermal power plants is domestically sourced.

How Long Will Coal Reserves Last? A Simplified Estimate  (without future demand growth):  

Lifespan = 199.90 Bt / (1.2 Bt/year) ≈ 166 years

A simplified estimate, excluding future demand growth, suggests global coal reserves (199.90 billion tons) could last approximately 166 years at the current consumption rate of 1.2 billion tons per year.

Realistic scenario with growth & constraints:

Considering this and the projected need of 25,000 to 30,000 TWh/year for a developed India by 2070, the need to expand scalable, clean energy—especially nuclear—becomes evident.

🌐 Who Uses the Most Nuclear Energy?

As the world moves toward cleaner energy, some countries have already made nuclear power a core part of their electricity generation. Here are the top nuclear power consumers globally:

1. United States
• Largest consumer of nuclear power in absolute terms
• Generates nearly 19% of its electricity from nuclear
• Operates over 90 reactors, the most in the world
2.  France
• Most dependent on nuclear by percentage
• Around 70% of France’s electricity comes from nuclear power
• Recognized globally for its efficient nuclear program
3.  China
• Fastest-growing nuclear energy program
• Nuclear accounts for around 5% of its electricity
• Actively building new reactors to expand capacity
4.  Russia
• Nuclear supplies about 20% of the country’s electricity
• Exporting nuclear technology to other nations

This global snapshot highlights how nuclear energy plays a central role in the long-term strategies of many developed and emerging economies. For India, increasing our nuclear share is not just about energy—it’s about energy security, climate goals, and becoming a developed nation.

🧭 Should India Go Nuclear?

With India’s electricity demand rising and coal remaining the dominant source, a transition to cleaner, scalable energy seems inevitable. Among the available options, could nuclear power be a viable long-term path?

Kudankulam’s twin 1000 MW units — India’s largest nuclear power plant 

⚛️ Operational Nuclear Power Plants in India (as of 2025)

India currently operates 23 nuclear reactors across 7 sites, with a total installed capacity of 8,180 MW.​

1. Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) – Maharashtra.

2. Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) – Rajasthan

3. Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) – Tamil Nadu

4. Kaiga Generating Station (KGS) – Karnataka

5. Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) – Tamil Nadu

6. Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS) – Uttar Pradesh

7. Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) – Gujarat

Source: Nuclear Power Corporation Of India 

India map showing location of NPP(operational & under construction) and seismic zonation.  Courtsey: Research gate

Adding depth to the discussion, Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Anil Kakodkar—former Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and a distinguished nuclear scientist—offers compelling insights in his article, “India Needs to Go Nuclear”, published in The Indian Express on October 12, 2023. He outlines key reasons why nuclear energy deserves serious consideration in India’s long-term energy planning.

Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Nuclear Physicist & Mechanical Engineer

"Hypothetically, even if the entire barren uncultivable land in India is used up for setting up solar plants (which, clearly, is not possible), it would still fall way short of the target. The potential of wind energy is even smaller. The only way out then is a rapid scale-up of nuclear energy. For this, we need to shed the unfounded phobia around nuclear energy. Today, nuclear energy has emerged as one of the cleanest and safest of energies capable of effectively countering climate change." — Dr. Anil Kakodkar

In the article, he not only presents a strong case for nuclear energy but also outlines a six-point national strategy to scale it up rapidly and effectively.

👉 India needs to go nuclear – The Indian Express

In another report, the NPCIL Chief states that India will commission a nuclear power reactor every year, marking a bold step toward long-term energy security.

👉India will ‘commission a nuclear power reactor every year’: NPCIL chief

⚡ Energy Independence

“No power is as cheap and abundant as power from thorium-based reactors in the long term.” —Attributed to Dr. Homi J. Bhabha

India’s visionary 3-Stage Nuclear Power Programme was designed by Dr. Homi Bhabha, who earned a PhD in nuclear physics from Cambridge, worked with pioneers like Niels Bohr, and published several influential research papers. He joined the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru in 1940 with the support of Sir C.V. Raman, India’s first Nobel laureate. In 1945, he founded the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Mumbai — the cradle of India’s nuclear science efforts. In 1948, at the age of 39, he became the first chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India.

This ambitious programme aims to offer a long-term roadmap to true energy independence. India is currently progressing toward Stage 2 and has taken key steps in that direction, while Stage 3—which focuses on thorium-based reactors—is still in the early development phase.

India holds an estimated 25–30% of the world’s thorium reserves, primarily located in monazite-rich sands along the coasts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. These reserves place India among the top three countries globally in thorium potential.

It is expected that once Stage 3 is fully deployed, leveraging thorium as a sustainable fuel source, India could achieve long-term energy self-reliance through clean, safe, and abundant nuclear power.

Fuel Flow Summary – India’s 3-Stage Nuclear Plan

1. Stage 1 uses U-235 → produces Pu-239 and energy

2. Stage 2 uses Pu-239 → produces energy + breeds more Pu-239 from U-238 + starts converting Th-232 to U-233 

3. Stage 3 uses U-233 → produces energy + breeds more U-233 from Th-232 → self-sustaining, making India energy independent.

Watch the TED Talk “Thorium to Light Up the World” by (Late) Dr. Srikumar Banerjee, DAE Chair Professor at BARC, explaining India’s 3-Stage Nuclear Programme– here.

View the DAE’s 2013 presentation to the US Industry Delegation on India’s Nuclear Power Programme here.

🌍 Countries Phasing Out Nuclear Power

While many nations are expanding their nuclear programs, a few have opted for a gradual phase-out, each based on unique policy, safety, or environmental considerations. As of 2025, here are some notable examples:

• Germany: Fully phased out nuclear energy in April 2023, shutting down its last three reactors as part of its Energiewende (energy transition) policy.
• Belgium: Initially planned to phase out nuclear by 2025 but extended some reactors' operation to 2035 due to energy security concerns.
• Italy: Closed all nuclear power plants by 1990 following a 1987 referendum and remains non-nuclear.
• Spain: Imposed a moratorium on new nuclear plants in 1983 and supports a slow transition away from nuclear.
• Switzerland: Decided to gradually phase out nuclear power after the Fukushima disaster, but still operates four reactors that generate around 35–40% of its electricity. While no new plants will be built, existing reactors like Leibstadt may likely continue to operate into the 2040s.

View of the nuclear power plant of Leibstadt, taken from a plane.( which is not being phased out)

It’s worth noting that some of these countries are reassessing timelines due to energy shortages or climate commitments. The case of Switzerland especially illustrates that even countries phasing out nuclear may still rely on it for decades due to its stability and low emissions.

Final Thoughts

The current data shows that nuclear energy contributes just 3.13% to India’s total electricity generation. In comparison to the energy needs of a future developed India, this figure remains modest.

As our energy demands continue to grow, the role of nuclear—alongside other clean and scalable sources—will become increasingly important. Balancing or selecting our ideal energy mix of fossil fuels, renewables, and nuclear is not a simple choice; it requires careful consideration of technology, infrastructure, environmental responsibility, and public consensus.             

Building a power plant is a time-consuming and capital-intensive process. That’s why planning ahead is crucial. We must begin now—with the same vision and determination shown by Sir M. Visvesvaraya, whose engineering contributions still stand strong over a century later.

What matters most is that we move forward with proven and safe technologies, guided by clarity, foresight, and a firm commitment to long-term sustainability.

References and Additional Resources:

NITI Aayog's India Climate & Energy Dashboard

Press Information Bureau

Enerdata – United States Energy Information

List of countries by electricity production 

Watch the NGC documentary of the Tarapur Nuclear Power Plant here

Watch A Rare Inside Look At India's Uranium Mines here

Watch a simple PWR Nuclear Power Plant Animation here

Watch a simple BWR Nuclear Power Plant Animation here