India has to hugely expand nuclear power along with its entire power system to bring electricity to 300 million people and move away from coal, according to a study by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
India's nuclear industry is characterised by its largely indigenous nature and reliance on the small pressurized heavy water units which make up 18 of its 21 units. The country rejected the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty and was subsequently excluded from international trade. This anomaly has now been corrected outside the treaty and India is now able to source uranium and nuclear fuel and services on the open market. The IEA noted this has resulted in higher performance from existing nuclear power plants.
India has started one of two large Russian VVER-1000 pressurized water reactors and is talking to other reactor vendors while planning to import a variety of large units.
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