Nuclear and Thermal Power Plants of India

India’s electricity sector is dominated by thermal power plants which use coal as fuel. In 2021, coal-based thermal power plants generated about 75% of the total electricity produced in India. Nuclear power was introduced to India between 1966 and 1976 in the western, northern, and southern regions of the country due to their distance from coal fields, which are mostly concentrated in the eastern and central parts of the country. As of 2022, there are 22 operational nuclear power plants in India with an installed capacity of 6780 MegaWatt electric (MWe).

The Indian government is committed to growing its nuclear power capacity as part of its massive infrastructure development program. The government has set ambitious targets to grow nuclear capacity. However, because India is outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty due to its weapons program, it was for 34 years largely excluded from trade in nuclear plants and materials, which hampered its development of civil nuclear energy until 2009.

As of 2022, there are 22 operational nuclear power plants in India with an installed capacity of 6780 MegaWatt electric (MWe). 18 of these reactors are Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) and the remaining 4 are Light Water Reactors (LWRs). Nuclear power is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydroelectric, and renewable sources of electricity.

Thermal power plants generate electricity by using heat from a fuel source. The heat usually generates steam in a boiler which is then used to run a steam turbine connected to a generator. They are classified according to the heat source as follows: Coal-Fired. Nuclear power plants use nuclear fission to generate heat. A nuclear power plant’s operation phase typically lasts the longest during its entire cycle. Apsara Research Reactor in Mumbai is the first nuclear reactor in Asia. Both types of plants produce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change, so it is important to consider all aspects of each type before making a decision about which type of plant to use.

The following table lists the seven nuclear power plant sites in India:

The table shows a list of nuclear power plants in India that are under development, along with their capacity and operator.

The list below covers the nuclear power plants in India that are scheduled to be built:

The below table gives a list of major thermal plants in India, state-wise:

During the colonial period, Electricity was introduced in India by the British. They electrified the major cities, offices, and major ports. In 1879, in the history of India, a Private Company named PW Fleury & Co. used light bulbs to display electricity on the streets of Calcutta.  

The first hydel generating station, Sidrapong Power station, is located at the foothills of Arya Tea Estate, and it was set up in Darjeeling with a capacity of 130kW. In 1896, this power station was commissioned to supply power to the Darjeeling tea plantations. Later by 1933, its capacity was increased to 1000kW. In 1920, the Nizam of Hyderabad opened India’s first thermal power station, Hussain Sagar Thermal Power Station. The first thermal power station in Kolkata was commissioned by the Calcutta Electricity Supply Co. in 1899 at Arambagh, Kolkata. The capacity of this plant was later upgraded by installations at different places in Kolkata i.e., Howrah station, Alipore station, and Ultadanga station.

In India, the total power generating capacity from all sources of power has increased from 1,362 MW in 1947 to 379.1 GW by 28th February 2021. India’s electricity sector is dominated by coal-based thermal power plants, which accounted for about three-fourths of the total electricity produced in the country in 2021.

After 1947, the Government of India made electricity a concurrent subject (in which laws can be made both by the Union and the State governments) by Electricity Act, 1948 the State Electricity Boards (SEBs) started representing the states to generate electricity production. Thus all new power generation and distribution that was not served by private utilities came under the purview of State and Central government agencies. Still, at that time, Nuclear power development is a slower pace, which was introduced, in the last 60s. For the first five years plan, the power supply industry has been under constant pressure to bridge the gap between supply and demand. 

Let’s discuss the topic by dividing the process of power generating in India into three time periods:

1. The starting phase of the First Five-Year Plan (1951-1956), was the beginning of the planned development of electric power. At that time the private sector then controlled only 12% of the generation while the rest was under the public sector. During this period Electricity Boards had been set up in various states in the year 1956. the first Electricity Board was set up in West Bengal. Before the introduction of five-year plans, the size of each generating unit was 15MW, which has increased to 650MW today. During the early 1960s, to generate electricity process regionally self-sufficient, govt was decided to divide the country into five regions grids, i.e. Southern, Northern, North-Eastern, Western and Eastern.

2. From, the Fifth Five-Years Plan (1974-79), the Government itself was involved in a big way in the generation and bulk transmission of power to supplement the efforts at the State level and set up The National thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) in 1975. Later in 1976, govt set up North-Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) to implement the regional power projects in the North-East, again in 1988 govt was set up Nathpa Jhakri Power Corporation (NJPC) and Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC). In 1989, to operate and maintain the inter-State and interregional transmission systems govt. created the National Power Transmission Corporation (NPTC).

3. The government of India announced the Policy Of Liberalization in the year 1991 and amendments in the Electricity Supply Act to open a new path to involve private efforts and investments in the electricity industry of India. According to the act, the private generating companies can set up power generating facilities and can sell the power in bulk to the grid or other persons. Now it is permissible that up to a hundred percent foreign equity participation can be permitted for the projects to set up power plants by foreign private investors in the Indian Electricity Sector.

The introduction of nuclear power in India started in the decade 1966-76. It was introduced in the western, northern, and southern regions of India because of its distance from coal fields, which are largely concentrated in the eastern and central parts of the country. It was a very challenging situation for the govt. to continue supplying coal over long distances to the thermal stations. Especially in the southern region of India where the bulk of electricity was traditionally provided by hydroelectric power, besides this due to successive failures of the monsoons excessive load shedding had become a common phenomenon. On the other side, Power production from oil and gas was never seriously considered in India, since a substantial portion of our requirements has to be imported. Due to an increase in oil prices, power production by using oil became costly. So, the power production in India continues to rely on coal power and hydropower and, increasingly over the years, on nuclear power.

In conclusion, India’s electricity sector is dominated by thermal power plants. In 2021, coal-based thermal power plants accounted for about three-fourths of the total electricity produced in the country. Nuclear power was introduced to India in the decade 1966-76. It was introduced in the western, northern, and southern regions of India because of its distance from coal fields, which are largely concentrated in the eastern and central parts of the country. Nuclear power is the fifth-largest source of electricity in India after thermal, hydroelectric, and renewable sources of electricity. The Indian government is committed to growing its nuclear power capacity as part of its massive infrastructure development programme. The government has set ambitious targets to grow nuclear capacity.

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What are nuclear power plants?

Nuclear power plants generate electricity using nuclear reactions to produce heat, which is then converted into electricity.

How many nuclear power plants are there in India?

India currently operates 22 nuclear reactors in seven nuclear power plants across the country.

What is the capacity of nuclear power plants in India?

The total installed capacity of nuclear power plants in India is approximately 6,780 megawatts (MW).

What are thermal power plants?

Thermal power plants generate electricity by burning fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas, or oil to produce steam, which drives turbines to generate electricity.

How many thermal power plants are there in India?

India has several thermal power plants, with over 200 operational plants across the country.

What is the capacity of thermal power plants in India?

The total installed capacity of thermal power plants in India is approximately 230,000 megawatts (MW), making it the dominant source of electricity generation in the country.

What are the environmental impacts of thermal power plants?

Thermal power plants contribute to air and water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental degradation due to the combustion of fossil fuels and discharge of pollutants.

What measures are taken to mitigate the environmental impact of power plants in India?

The Indian government has implemented various measures such as installing pollution control technologies, promoting renewable energy sources, and enforcing emission standards to reduce the environmental impact of power plants.