DAW 5th December 2025, Mains Answer Writting 2026

DAW 5th December 2025, Mains Answer Writting 2026

Question

With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy? (250 Words, 15 Marks). 

Model Answer

Approach: 

Introduction:  

  • Begin with India’s rising energy needs, Net-Zero 2070 commitments, and the strategic importance of nuclear energy amid plans to scale capacity to 100,000 MW by 2047. 

Body: 

  • Status of India’s Nuclear Sector: Present current reactor count, installed capacity (8,180 MW), global ranking, and targets for 2031–32 and 2047. 

  • Advantages of Expanding Nuclear Energy: Highlight nuclear’s role in clean baseload power, Net-Zero pathway, industrialisation, strategic gains, jobs, R&D innovation, energy density, scalability, and energy security. 

  • Key Challenges Hindering Growth: Cover uranium shortages, thorium programme delays, high capital costs, regulatory hurdles, liability laws, skill gaps, waste/safety concerns, and low share in energy mix. 

  • Measures to Accelerate Growth: Suggest private sector integration, fuel security strategies, regulatory reforms, technology upgrades, workforce expansion, waste management systems, and public engagement. 

Conclusion: 

  • Conclude with nuclear power as a pivotal pillar for India’s long-term energy security, low-carbon development, and technological sovereignty, contingent on reforms, innovation, and public trust.     

  •  Introduction: 

  • India, already the world’s third-largest energy consumer, faces the dual challenge of meeting rising developmental demands and achieving its long-term net-zero commitments. As the country seeks a manifold increase in per-capita energy availability, nuclear energy has re-emerged as a critical, low-carbon option. With plans to scale up capacity to 100,000 MW by 2047 and proposals to open the sector to private participation, India’s nuclear programme stands at a strategic crossroads. This expansion, however, must carefully navigate persistent issues of cost, safety, regulation and public trust. 

 Body: Status of India’s Nuclear Energy Sector: 

  • India ranks third in global electricity production, with nuclear energy as its fifth-largest power source. 

  • As of 2024–25, India has 24 operational reactors with an installed capacity of 8,180 MW, placing it seventh globally in reactor count. 

  • Nuclear capacity is targeted to triple to 22,480 MW by 2031–32, raising its share in the energy mix from 3.2% to about 5%. 

  • In line with the Net Zero 2070 goal, studies suggest India may require 100,000 MW of nuclear capacity by 2047, now under consideration. 

 Advantages of Expanding Nuclear Energy in India: 

  • Supports Net-Zero Goals & Reduces Fossil Dependence: Nuclear is central to India’s clean-energy pathway, with capacity targeted to reach 100,000 MW by 2047; upcoming expansion from 8,180 MW to 22,480 MW by 2031-32 strengthens India’s low-carbon transition. 

  • Reliable Baseload Power for Growing Demand: Nuclear ensures 24×7 stable power unlike intermittent solar/wind- crucial as per capita electricity use is set to double by 2035; Budget 2025-26 allocated ₹20,000 crore for Bharat Small Reactors. 

  • Supports Urbanisation & Industrialisation: Rising urban population (projected 600 million by 2031) and energy-intensive industries depend on uninterrupted supply; projects like Rajasthan Atomic Power Station Units 7 & 8 meet these demands sustainably. 

  • Enhances Strategic & Diplomatic Leverage: Deals like the 2008 Indo-US Civil Nuclear Agreement and partnerships with Russia (e.g., Kudankulam) deepen global cooperation, improve reactor safety, and accelerate technology transfer. 

  • Drives R&D and Technological Innovation: Indigenous advances like the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) and India’s thorium-based programme strengthen long-term energy security and reduce uranium dependency. 

  • High Energy Density & Efficiency: Nuclear plants need minimal fuel- 25 tonnes of uranium/year for 1,000 MW- while a similar coal plant requires 5 million tonnes of coal, making nuclear far cleaner and more efficient. 

  • Firm, Large-Scale Power Potential: Plants like Kudankulam show scalable capacity- moving from 2,000 MW to 6,000 MW once all six units are commissioned, making it India’s largest nuclear station. 

  • Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Nuclear contributes only ~5% of India’s GHG emissions, yet supplies over 3% of electricity, proving its value as a low-carbon baseload source. 

  • Boosts Long-Term Energy Security: India’s three-stage thorium programme leverages vast thorium reserves, reducing import dependence and ensuring sustainable domestic energy. 

Challenges Hindering India’s Nuclear Energy Expansion: 

  • Safety and accident risk: Post-Fukushima, India saw large protests at Kudankulam and Jaitapur. At Jaitapur plant, scientists has raised concerns about seismicity (fault lines) and potential “natural calamities” triggered by a nuclear accident. 

  • Nuclear Waste & Safety Concerns: India follows a “closed fuel cycle” policy—spent fuel is reprocessed and plutonium reused in fast reactors. However, no deep geological repository is yet operational in India; high-level waste is stored and conditioned at or near sites pending long-term solutions. 

  • Uranium Supply Constraints: Limited domestic reserves (~76,000 tonnes) and heavy import dependence (Australia, Kazakhstan, Canada) make reactor operations vulnerable to geopolitical and price shocks. 

  • Nuclear Liability Concerns: The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (2010) places heavy liability on operators and allows recourse against suppliers, deterring foreign vendors and technology collaboration. 

  • Low Share in Energy Mix & Institutional Monopoly: Nuclear contributes only ~2% to India’s total power; the NPCIL monopoly restricts private sector innovation, capacity addition, and global partnership opportunities. 

  • Slow Progress in Thorium Programme: Despite large thorium reserves (~25% of global), technological delays in Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) and the stalled ADSS project hinder the shift to Stage-III. 

  • High Capital Costs & Financing Issues: Nuclear plants require massive upfront investment (PHWR cost ~₹117 million/MW), long gestation periods, and poor private participation compared to faster-return renewable projects. 

  • Regulatory & Approval Delays: Complex land, environmental, and safety clearances slow projects- e.g., repeated delays at Jaitapur due to regulatory hurdles and local opposition. 

  • Skilled Workforce Shortage: Limited intake at BARC and aging workforce create a talent gap; many trained experts leave for better opportunities abroad, slowing expansion and operations. 

 Should India keep expanding Nuclear Power? 

  • Yes, India should expand nuclear – but realistically and cautiously, as part of a broader clean-energy strategy. 

  • Climate and energy security: Nuclear offers firm, low-carbon, 24x7 power that can reduce dependence on coal and imported fuels, aligning with Net Zero 2070 and net-zero electricity by 2047. 

  • Strategic and technological benefits: The three-stage programme, fast breeder development and thorium research give India a unique long-term option for energy independence and technological leadership. 

  • Government commitment and planning towards clean energy: India integrate nuclear expansion (to 100 GW by 2047) into India’s formal energy planning. 

Measures to Accelerate India’s Nuclear Energy Growth: 

  • Private Sector Integration: Amend the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to enable private participation, hybrid PPP models, and rapid rollout of SMRs/BSMRs. 

  • Fuel Security Strengthening: Expand domestic uranium exploration (e.g., Jaduguda revival), build strategic nuclear fuel reserves, and deepen civil nuclear partnerships. 

  • Regulatory Reforms: Establish a single-window nuclear clearance system and an independent National Nuclear Energy Authority (NNEA) to cut project delays. 

  • Technology & Workforce Upgradation: Scale BARC-linked training, integrate AI, Digital Twins, and advanced reactor technologies, and collaborate with IAEA for skill enhancement. 

  • Waste Management & Public Trust: Create a centralized deep geological repository, modernize reprocessing, and ensure community engagement through transparent safety communication. 

 Conclusion: 

  • India’s nuclear sector stands at a crucial turning point, with the potential to bolster energy security, climate resilience, and technological self-reliance. By resolving structural gaps, attracting private participation, and advancing next-generation reactor and fuel technologies, India can secure a reliable, low-carbon baseload vital for SDG-7 and Net Zero goals. With streamlined regulatory reforms, deeper global partnerships, and stronger public trust, nuclear energy can become a key pillar of India’s sustainable and secure clean-energy future.