Centre Reviews 100 GW Nuclear Mission to Boost Clean Energy Goals
In a significant move to accelerate the country’s clean energy ambitions, the Union Power Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, and the Minister of State for Atomic Energy, Dr Jitendra Singh, convened a high-level meeting on Friday to review the 100 GW Nuclear Energy Mission. This meeting is a follow-up on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious target of expanding India’s clean energy basket, aiming to achieve Net Zero emissions.
The 100 GW Nuclear Energy Mission is a crucial component of India’s energy security strategy, aimed at reducing the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating climate change. The mission envisions increasing the country’s nuclear power generation capacity from the current 6.7 GW to 100 GW by 2031. This ambitious target requires a significant scaling up of nuclear power generation, which is expected to play a vital role in meeting India’s growing energy demands while reducing carbon emissions.
The meeting, which was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, and the Department of Atomic Energy, focused on outlining key directives to achieve the 100 GW nuclear energy mission. The directive includes:
- Enhancing Nuclear Power Generation Capacity: The meeting emphasized the need to enhance nuclear power generation capacity through the installation of new reactors and the uprating of existing ones. This will require a significant investment in the nuclear sector, including the construction of new reactors, the development of indigenous reactor designs, and the uprating of existing reactors.
- Promoting International Cooperation: The meeting highlighted the importance of international cooperation in achieving the 100 GW nuclear energy mission. India has been actively engaging with nuclear-weapon states and non-nuclear-weapon states alike to share expertise, technologies, and best practices in the nuclear sector. This cooperation will facilitate the sharing of risks and rewards, enabling India to accelerate its nuclear energy program.
- Developing Indigenous Nuclear Technology: The meeting stressed the need to develop indigenous nuclear technology to reduce dependence on foreign imports. India has made significant progress in developing its nuclear technology, including the development of the Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) and the Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR). The country needs to continue to invest in indigenous nuclear technology to ensure self-sufficiency in the sector.
- Addressing Public Concerns: The meeting acknowledged the concerns of the public regarding nuclear energy, including safety, security, and environmental issues. The government emphasized the need to address these concerns through transparent and inclusive decision-making processes, ensuring that the public is involved in the planning and implementation of nuclear energy projects.
The meeting also discussed the need for a comprehensive policy framework to support the 100 GW nuclear energy mission. This framework will need to address issues such as land acquisition, financing, and regulatory clearances to ensure the smooth implementation of nuclear energy projects.
Achieving the 100 GW nuclear energy mission will require significant investments in the nuclear sector, including the construction of new reactors, the development of indigenous reactor designs, and the uprating of existing reactors. The government has announced plans to invest around Rs 13 lakh crore (approximately USD 180 billion) in the nuclear sector over the next decade to achieve this target.
In conclusion, the high-level meeting on the 100 GW Nuclear Energy Mission is a significant step towards achieving India’s clean energy goals. The meeting has outlined key directives to enhance nuclear power generation capacity, promote international cooperation, develop indigenous nuclear technology, and address public concerns. With the government’s commitment to investing in the nuclear sector and the country’s rich nuclear energy expertise, India is well on its way to achieving its ambitious target of 100 GW nuclear energy generation by 2031.
News Source: https://investmentguruindia.com/newsdetail/centre-outlines-key-directives-towards-100-gw-nuclear-energy-mission307337
