The Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) is preparing to seek approvals for 10 additional 700 MW pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) to be developed in fleet mode, aiming to significantly boost India’s nuclear energy capacity.

This move aligns with NPCIL’s vision to play a leading role in achieving the national target of up to 54 GW of nuclear power by 2047, as part of India's broader energy transition. Fleet mode construction - building reactors of similar design in parallel, will help lower costs and speed up project execution. The new reactors may be built at both greenfield and brownfield sites, adding to NPCIL’s ongoing fleet-mode projects across Rajasthan, Karnataka, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh.

Currently, India has an installed nuclear capacity of 8.8 GW from 25 operational plants, all run by NPCIL. The company plans to increase this to 22 GW by 2031-32, further enhanced by Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) by 2035.

The government is also considering amending the Atomic Energy Act to allow private sector entry into the strategic nuclear sector.