NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha today that India will be 22,480 MW Nuclear power by 2031.

In reply to a question, the Minister stated that the share of nuclear power in the total electricity generation in the country is about 3.1% in the year 2020-21. He said, the Government has embarked on a large nuclear power capacity addition program to increase the share of nuclear power in electricity generation.

Dr Jitendra Singh informed that more nuclear power plants are also planned in future and the nuclear power capacity of India is expected to reach 22,480 MW by the year 2031, from the current 6780 MW.

There are presently 22 reactors with a total capacity of 6780 MW in operation and one reactor, KAPP-3 (700 MW) has been connected to the grid on January 10, 2021. Ten (10) nuclear power reactors with 8000 MW capacity (including 500 MW PFBR being implemented by Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited {BHAVINI}) are under construction. Additionally, the Government has accorded administrative approval and financial sanction of ten (10) indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 700 MW each to be set up in fleet mode.

In reply to another question related to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Dr Jitendra Singh stated that India’s Space programme offers a variety of services beneficial to any country in various domains of its development work. India has its own priority in selected domains of space programmes and is doing relatively good in its space programmes.

The Minister said, the space sector reforms were made with the intention to provide a level playing field for private companies and enable them to carry out end-to-end space activities.

There are several steps taken by Government of India to create a space industry ecosystem in India as mentioned below. These include, a national level autonomous Nodal Agency namely Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre(IN-SPACe) established under Department of Space (DOS) for promoting, handholding, authorizing and licensing private players to carry out Space Activities, access to DOS facilities and expertise are extended to private entities to support their space activities and Government of India is encouraging the transfer of technologies developed in the field of space to Indian industries.

The Minister hoped that with the Space sector reforms, private sector including academic institutions, start-ups and industry are expected to participate in end-to-end space activities to expand the national space economy, generate more employment opportunities and create better manufacturing facilities.