India's Nuclear Power Expansion: 8000 MW Under Construction
The Department of Atomic Energy provided a detailed status update on eight nuclear power projects currently under construction across India, representing a total capacity addition of 8000 MW to the national grid. The projects are categorized into Indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (IPHWR) and Light Water Reactors (LWR) with foreign cooperation.
Indigenous PHWR Projects
The Rajasthan Atomic Power Project Unit 7 (RAPP-7) at Rawatbhata, Rajasthan with 700 MW capacity has commenced commercial operation on April 15, 2026. The project was originally scheduled for commissioning in June 2016 and has a revised cost of ₹22,924 crore from the sanctioned cost of ₹12,320 crore (cost provided on twin-unit basis with RAPP-8).
RAPP-8, also 700 MW at the same location, is in an advanced stage of commissioning and is expected to become operational in 2026, having missed its original December 2016 deadline.
The Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana (GHAVP) Unit 1 (700 MW) at Gorakhpur, Haryana is expected to be completed in about 6 years from First Pour of Concrete, having missed its original September 2020 commissioning date. The sanctioned cost was ₹20,594 crore, which is currently under revision. GHAVP Unit 2 (700 MW) was originally scheduled for March 2021 commissioning.
The Kaiga Atomic Power Project Units 5 & 6 (700 MW each) at Kaiga, Karnataka have seen significant delays. Unit 5 was originally scheduled for June 2026 commissioning but is now expected by June 2031. Unit 6 has shifted from June 2027 to June 2032. Both units have a sanctioned cost of ₹21,000 crore, currently under revision.
Fast Breeder and Light Water Reactors
The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu with 500 MW capacity has been delayed from its original September 2010 commissioning date to March 2027, with a sanctioned cost of ₹3,492 crore currently under revision.
The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Units 3-6 (1000 MW each) in Tamil Nadu represent the foreign cooperation segment. Units 3 and 4 have sanctioned costs of ₹39,849 crore (revised to ₹68,893 crore) and are now expected in June 2027 and June 2028 respectively, delayed from their original March 2023 and November 2023 timelines. Units 5 and 6 have sanctioned costs of ₹49,621 crore (revised to ₹69,437 crore) with Unit 5 now expected June 2029 (from December 2026) and Unit 6 expected March 2030 (from September 2027).
Challenges and Mitigation Measures
The major reasons for delays include extensive design changes following the Fukushima incident in Japan, delay in supply of critical equipment, COVID-19 pandemic and related issues, delay in supplies from Russian Federation (specifically for KKNPP), delay in execution of works by contractors at site due to financial crunch and cash flow problems post-COVID, difficult site soil conditions at GHAVP, shortage of skilled contractor manpower, and impacts from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and USA/Israel-Iran geopolitical conflicts.
To address these challenges, multiple measures are being implemented including periodic project reviews at multiple levels in NPCIL and DAE, constant monitoring of progress, timely identification of constraints, frequent meetings with vendors and contractors, re-sequencing of construction activities, higher delegation of powers to NPCIL executives, constitution of Board sub-committee for project monitoring, and bulk ordering of long delivery equipment which is already under manufacturing for fleet mode implementation.
The document includes annexures with year-wise details of equity sanctioned, released, and utilized for each project during the last five years, though the specific tables were not provided in the text.