Parliament panel urges govt 10% nuclear target, fast-track power projects

A parliamentary panel has expressed concerns that nuclear energy contributes only 3 per cent to India's energy demands, compared to 67 per cent in countries like France.The Committee, headed by Bhubaneswar Kalita, also noted that despite rigorous technical scrutiny and approval of research and development projects at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), annual budgetary allocations often fall short, adversely affecting long-term basic research that underpins advanced technological development.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee expressed concern that the Jaitapur and Kovvada nuclear power projects, announced as far back as 2010, have not materialised yet.

“The Committee is of the view that these projects are crucial for achieving the national target of 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047. Nuclear energy currently contributes only about 3 per cent of India’s total electricity generation, in sharp contrast to countries like France where nuclear power accounts for nearly 67 per cent. The Committee is of the considered view that India must substantially increase the share of nuclear energy to at least 10 per cent in the medium term and recommends that the Department of Atomic Energy, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, formulate a clear, time-bound roadmap to achieve this target through planned capacity addition and phased commissioning of new reactors,” the report said.

It also pointed out financial and administrative constraints impeding the smooth functioning of BARC and other R&D institutions under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). “Despite rigorous technical scrutiny and approval of R&D projects, annual budgetary allocations often fall short because funding decisions are based on past spending patterns rather than the actual scientific requirements of ongoing or future research, adversely affecting long-term basic research that underpins advanced technological development,” the report added.

Last week Union Minister Jitendra Singh informed Parliament that the nuclear share in total electricity generation in the country in 2024-25 was about 3.1%.

“Nuclear power generation in the country has kept pace with the overall generation of electricity in the country, and thus has consistently remained at about 3%. The nuclear share in total electricity generation in the country in 2024-25 was about 3.1%,” he said.

Limited availability of resources and international embargo were the main reasons cited behind the slow expansion of nuclear power capacity.