India to acquire 20-gigawatt of nuclear power generation capacity by 2030

India’s Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh has reportedly stated that India is on track to achieve a 20-gigawatt capacity of nuclear power generation by 2030, which would make the country the third-largest producer of atomic energy in the world, after the USA and France.

The minister made these comments during a review meeting with senior scientists from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai, noting that this target was set by the Atomic Energy Department.

Nuclear energy is not a fossil fuel, but it is a type of energy that can be generated from the splitting of atoms through a process called nuclear fission. In terms of efficiency, nuclear power plants have a high level of efficiency when it comes to converting the energy stored in nuclear fuel into electricity. According to the World Nuclear Association, nuclear power plants can operate at a thermal efficiency of up to 33%, which is comparable to other thermal power plants that use coal or natural gas.

Singh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with enabling this rapid progress, citing his decision to approve 10 reactors in a single order and allow nuclear installations to be developed under joint ventures with Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs). This has led to India becoming the sixth-largest country in terms of functional reactors and the second-largest when including those under construction.

Singh also mentioned that India's nuclear sources are expected to contribute nearly 9% of the country's electricity by 2047, on the occasion of its 100 years of independence. This would help in achieving the net zero targets by 2070.

In August 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced India's goal of achieving energy independence by 2047. The power sector is undergoing significant changes due to several factors, including the rising cost of power generation from coal, underperformance of state electricity boards, a shift towards renewable energy, and the need to comply with environmental sustainability measures. Additionally, digitization is necessary to leverage data and reforms in buying/selling arrangements through power exchange markets are also necessary.

However, India is poised to become a major player in green energy generation and not only aims to achieve energy security but also to supply renewable power to neighboring nations. As large corporations venture into green hydrogen and other renewable energy generation, related industries such as energy transmission and distribution require significant transformation.

The report outlines an integrated blueprint for India to realize its full potential in the power sector, leading to significant improvements in efficiency, reliability, digitalization, and sustainability. For a nation as diverse culturally and politically as India, achieving energy self-sufficiency is a remarkable accomplishment.

India's push towards energy independence involves not just achieving self-sufficiency but also to achieve true energy independence, and to produce excess energy through sustainable methods while minimizing losses during transmission, distribution, and consumption.

With 405 GW installed power capacity, India is the world's third-largest producer and second-largest consumer of electricity, with reliable energy-generation processes from conventional and non-conventional resources. The country is also the fourth-largest producer of wind power and fifth-largest in solar power.

The demand for electricity has increased exponentially in recent years due to industrialization, digitization, and technological advancements. However, the increased share of renewable power generation has helped bridge the demand-supply gap. The Electricity (Supply) Act of 1948 was amended to encourage private participation in power generation, and half the power consumed in India today is generated by private players.

From 2010 to 2022, India's generation capacity, including renewables, has grown by 85%. The share of power generated from non-fossil fuels has doubled to 42% in 2022, from 21% in 2021. Conducive policy frameworks through subsidies and tax rebates have improved the attractiveness of investments to achieve a balanced energy mix.

The transmission infrastructure in India is robust, with around 450,000 circuit kilometers spanned by the Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID), which conveys 50% of the total energy generated in the country through its efficient transmission network.

The goals outline by Prime Minister Modi for India are ambitious and aligned with the global effort to combat climate change. To achieve these goals, India needs to focus on expanding its non-fossil fuel energy capacity and reducing its dependence on fossil fuels. Adoption of new technologies like CCUS and green hydrogen can help decarbonize thermal power generation, which is currently a major contributor to India's carbon emissions.

Green hydrogen is generally considered to be environmentally friendly because it is produced using renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, or hydro power. Unlike hydrogen produced from fossil fuels, green hydrogen does not release greenhouse gas emissions during production or use. However, it is worth noting that the production of green hydrogen requires a significant amount of energy, so it is important to ensure that the renewable sources used to produce it are themselves environmentally sustainable.

Additionally, the production of green hydrogen requires significant investment and infrastructure development, which can have environmental impacts if not managed properly. Overall, while green hydrogen has the potential to be an environmentally friendly energy source, it is important to consider the full life cycle impacts of its production and use.

Furthermore, India needs to address the issue of high Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses in the distribution sector by adopting digital interventions in billing and metering. In addition to achieving energy independence, such measures can also lead to cost savings, employment opportunities, and a cleaner energy ecosystem.

India's power sector has shown significant growth over the last few years, with an increasing share of power generated from non-fossil fuels. However, there is still a long way to go to achieve the targets set by Prime Minister Modi. To realize its dream of energy independence, India needs to accelerate its transformation across the entire energy value chain, from generation to distribution and consumption.

This will require a concerted effort from the government, private sector, and civil society to achieve a balanced energy mix that meets the nation's growing demand for electricity while reducing carbon emissions.

To enhance India's distribution performance, the government must implement three key initiatives: firstly, they need to leverage the digital transition of power distribution through smart meters, which enable real-time data gathering and two-way communication. This can improve billing and collection efficiency, reduce losses, offer insights into consumption patterns, and create new revenue streams. Currently, there are around 10.7 million smart meters sanctioned across India, with about 5 million already installed.

Secondly, the government needs to encourage private player participation to improve efficacy, as there is enormous potential for private players to transform performance in the areas of transmission and distribution, which currently see just 6% and 7% private participation, respectively. The government has taken steps to enable private participation, including the Electricity (Amendment) Bill 2022 and the recent bid to give control of eight Union Territory DISCOMs to private operators.

Thirdly, to scale up adoption of power exchanges, India has three power exchanges in its ecosystem, with steady growth in volumes traded through these exchanges, reaching 101 business units in 2021-2022 with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.8% over the last five years.

With a concerted effort, India can achieve energy independence by 2047 through policy reform, stakeholder management, infrastructure development, and technological advancements.