India's Three-Stage Nuclear Power Programme
India's nuclear programme, conceived by Homi Bhabha in the 1950s, is structured as a sequential three-stage strategy to leverage the country's limited uranium but vast thorium reserves. The programme has consistently missed its capacity targets.
- Stage 1: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) using natural uranium -- currently operational with 24 reactors producing approximately 8,800 MWe.
- Stage 2: Fast Breeder Reactors using plutonium from Stage 1 -- the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam, originally expected by 2010, began core loading in 2024.
- Stage 3: Thorium-based reactors -- India holds about 25% of global thorium reserves but this stage remains largely experimental.
- In 1972, the Department of Atomic Energy projected 43,000 MW of nuclear capacity by 2000; actual capacity that year was only 2,720 MW (barely 6% of the target).
- Current installed capacity is approximately 8,800 MW against a target of 22,480 MW by 2031-32.
● Tracked since February 13, 2026 · last seen August 15, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
15 Aug '26
India has set target of 200 GW nuclear energy, setting up five new reactors: PM
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16 Jul '26
India issues ₹28,000 cr EPC tender for Mahi Banswara nuclear power plant
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25 Apr '26
‘Spillage to open reactor’ phase kicks off at Kudankulam nuclear plant’s unit 3
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22 Apr '26
Suresh Babu assumes office as Chairman & Managing Director of BHAVINI
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08 Apr '26
At long last: On Kalpakkam reactor criticality, India’s regulatory regime
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07 Apr '26
Fast Breeder Nuclear Reactor at Kalpakam takes ‘critical’ leap forward
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06 Apr '26
Kalpakkam fast breeder reactor attains criticality; defining step: PM Modi
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05 Mar '26
India-Canada uranium deal and India’s nuclear programme | Explained
International Relations
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