India's nuclear ambitions: Questions that demand answers

By Shankar Sharma* 

India has set an ambitious target of expanding its nuclear power capacity from the current 9,000 MW to 100,000 MW over the next 20 years. The recently enacted SHANTI Act has added fresh momentum to this push. However, these developments have also raised serious and credible concerns among environmentalists and civil society groups across the country.

Several factors worry these groups — ranging from safety and waste disposal to financial costs and the displacement of local communities. These concerns deserve open, honest engagement from the authorities, not dismissal.

A pattern worth noting in the nuclear sector is that whenever one technology runs into problems, its advocates tend to pivot to the next promising alternative. Today, that alternative is Small Modular Reactors, or SMRs. But a closer look reveals that SMRs carry their own set of unresolved issues. In fact, any nuclear technology — old or new — brings with it broadly the same basket of concerns for society, even if the scale or nature of those concerns may vary.

According to a TERI report, achieving the 100 GW nuclear target by 2047 will require an investment of Rs 25 lakh crore and sweeping policy reforms. This is an enormous commitment of both financial and natural resources. It is therefore essential that all societal concerns are addressed satisfactorily before our communities are locked into this path.

At the same time, we should not overlook the inspiring example right within our own country. Gujarat has emerged as a shining star in India's renewable energy story. The state did not merely participate in the solar revolution — it helped write the rulebook. This demonstrates that clean, sustainable electricity is not a distant dream but an achievable reality, and one that avoids the complex risks associated with nuclear power.

A serious public discussion on how India can transition to a green and sustainable electricity future — on both the demand and supply sides — is the need of the hour. Such a discussion must involve civil society, experts, and policymakers working together in good faith.

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*Power & Climate Policy Analyst, Karnataka