India's Energy Giants Pursue Domestic Reactor Designs to Accelerate Nuclear Expansion

India's leading energy companies are shifting toward indigenous nuclear reactor designs to address the sector's chronic delays and cost overruns. The 700-megawatt pressurised heavy water reactor design, already standardised and operational, offers faster regulatory approval pathways and access to a fully domestic supply chain. This strategy reflects a broader effort to increase nuclear capacity from 3 per cent of electricity generation to 100 gigawatts by 2047.

The government opened the strategically sensitive nuclear sector to private operators last year and recently issued draft rules to end the state monopoly. Three major players—Adani Group, Jindal Steel, and state-run NTPC—have announced substantial capacity targets: 10 gigawatts, 18 gigawatts, and 30 gigawatts respectively by 2047. Industry executives emphasise that domestic heavy water technology represents the most cost-effective option available, with construction delays directly threatening project economics and electricity pricing.

  • Indigenous 700-megawatt reactor design already standardised and operational in India
  • Domestic supply chain fully established for pressurised heavy water reactor technology
  • Private sector entry enabled through recent regulatory reforms ending state monopoly
  • Three major utilities targeting combined 58 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by 2047