NTPC chief urges India to avoid overreliance on single nuclear technology supplier

New Delhi: NTPC Ltd chairman and managing director Gurdeep Singh said India should avoid overreliance on any single supplier or country for nuclear technology, stressing the need to prioritise domestic control over technology and resources even if local options are initially 5-10% costlier.Speaking at a workshop on the SHANTI Act held in April, Singh said the country must guard against the kind of supply-chain vulnerabilities currently being witnessed globally, according to a recent report published by the Central Electricity Authority.Also read: US nuclear industry delegation visiting India to explore opportunitiesIndia's largest power producer has committed to developing 30 GW nuclear capacity by 2047, against the country's target of 100 GW under the Viksit Bharat programme.For a large utility like NTPC, the focus should remain on large-capacity reactor sets rather than small modular reactors, Singh said, adding that SMRs may be better suited for captive industrial use despite their high standby costs.NTPC is engaging with 14 states on nuclear projects, though acceptance levels remain uneven, he said.Singh stressed the need for greater public outreach and site visits to improve awareness around nuclear safety.Also read: India to shrink zones around nuclear reactors to free up land, sources sayEnsuring long-term fuel security for nuclear plants, which are designed to operate for more than 60 years, will also be critical for the sector's expansion, he said.Singh also advocated repurposing retiring thermal power plant sites for nuclear projects.

The country must remain watchful of becoming over-dependent on any single supplier or country for nuclear technology as it moves ahead with the ambitious 100 GW nuclear power plan, an industry executive has cautioned. Gurdeep Singh, the Chairman of India's largest power generation company NTPC, has asserted that the country should prioritise control over technology and resources, even if domestic options are 5-10 per cent costlier at the initial stage, to avoid the supply chain vulnerabilities currently seen globally. Singh, at a workshop organised by Central Electricity Authority on India's nuclear power roadmap, urged stakeholders to move beyond legislative intent and focus on the immediate formulation of rules and guidelines, arguing that clarity in implementation is the only way to convert policy into actual investment, accoding to the minutes of the workshop released by the CEA at the weekend. The workshop on "Shanti Act, 2025: Enabling India's 100 GW Nuclear Power Roadmap ...