India powers 16 safeguarded nuclear reactors with imported fuel

Discussions also progress with US and France for 12 new nuclear reactors.

A total of 16 reactors with a capacity of 6,380 megawatts (MW) under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards are being powered by imported fuel, according to India’s Department of Atomic Energy.

In a statement, the department said this is in line with the India-US civil nuclear agreement of 2008 and international agreements for cooperation in nuclear energy that enabled the import of fuel for use in reactors under IAEA safeguards and the setting up of new nuclear power reactors with foreign cooperation.

In respect of setting up reactors with foreign cooperation, four reactors, KKNPP- 3 to 6 (4 X 1000 MW) in cooperation with the Russian Federation are under construction and discussions to arrive at viable project proposals with technology partners from USA for Kovvada, Andhra Pradesh (6 X 1208 MW) & France for Jaitapur, Maharashtra (6 X 1730 MW) projects are in progress.

India’s nuclear electricity generation has increased from 14,927 million units in 2008 to 2009 to 56,681 million Units in 2024 to 2025.

There are 18 reactors (including BHAVINI - Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor) with a capacity of 13,600 MW are at various stages of implementation and are expected to be completed by 2031 to 2032. The government has also announced a Nuclear Energy Mission to reach a nuclear power capacity of 100 GW by 2047.