NTPC is contemplating new atomic power projects of 700 MW, 1,000 MW, and 1,600 MW in various parts of the country. According to a senior official in the company, NTPC is screening sites in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. NTPC will set up these plants only in areas identified and approved by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB).
NTPC targets 30% of the country's overall nuclear power capacity in line with the government's roadmap to achieve 100 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2047. Every 1-gigawatt nuclear plant requires ₹15,000 crore-₹20,000 crore investment. Each such plant will take a minimum of three years from project planning to the beginning of power generation.
NTPC is planning to tie up necessary raw-material supplies for its proposed plants. The company is also developing overseas uranium assets, as uranium is the vital input for atomic power generation. The company has signed a commercial-cum-technical agreement with the Uranium Corporation of India for this.
Presently, NTPC operates a total of 84,848 MW of installed power capacity in India, comprising coal, gas, hydro, and solar power stations. Further, NTPC is developing a nuclear plant in Rajasthan in joint venture with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India, investing ₹42,000 crores.
