Nuclear power plants contribute about 3% of the total electricity generated in the country and installed capacity is 6.7 GW
Indian Nuclear reactor fleet comprises of three types of reactors

Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor
Boiling Water reactor (BWR)
VVER (Pressurized water reactor type)

India has 22 nuclear reactors operating in 8 nuclear power plants

Power Plant	Location	Remarks
Operational
Rawatbhata	Rajasthan
Tarapur	Maharashtra
Kudankulam	Tamil Nadu
Kakrapar	Gujarat
Kalpakkam	Tamil Nadu
Narora	Uttar Pradesh
Kaiga	Karnataka	Holds world record for uninterrupted
Kudankulam	TN
Under constructions
Rajasthan Unit 7 & 8	Rajasthan
Kakrapar	Gujarat
Planned
Jaitapur	Maharashtra	India and France collaboration
Kovvada	Andhra Pradesh
Mithi Virdi	Gujarat
Haripur	West Bengal
Gorakhpur	Haryana
Bhimpur	Madhya Pradesh
Mahi Banswara	Rajasthan
Chutka	Madhya Pradesh
Madras	Tamil Nadu

India's three stage Nuclear Power Programme

Formulated by Dr. Homi Bhabha in the 1950s
To secure the countrys long term energy independence, through the use of uranium and thorium reserves found in the monazite sands of coastal regions of South India.
Objective: To utilize the known resources of thorium reserve found in India (India has 25% of world thorium reserves but only 1-2% global uranium reserve), to provide safe and reliable electric power for the country social and economic progress and to be self-reliant in all aspects of nuclear technology
STAGE 1: PRESSURISED HEAVY WATER REACTOR

In this natural uranium (0.7 % fissile U-235 and the rest is U-238) fueled pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWR) which produce electricity while generating plutonium-239 as by-product.

STAGE II – Plutoniu fuelled FAST BREEDER REACTOR

In the second stage, fast breeder reactors (FBRs) would use a mixed oxide (MOX) fuel made from plutonium-239, recovered by reprocessing spent fuel from the first stage, and natural uranium.
In FBRs, plutonium-239 undergoes fission to produce energy, while the uranium-238 present in the mixed oxide fuel transmutes to additional plutonium-239.
Thus, the Stage II FBRs are designed to "breed" more fuel than they consume.

STAGE III – THORIUM BASED REACTORS

A Stage III reactor or an advanced nuclear power system involves a self-sustaining series of thorium-232- uranium-233 fueled reactors. (Mix of thorium and Uranium)
This would be a thermal breeder reactor, which in principle can be refueled after its initial fuel charge using only naturally occurring thorium.

According to the three-stage programme, Indian nuclear energy could grow to about 10 GW through PHWRs fueled by domestic uranium, and the growth above that would have to come from FBRs till about 50GW

	Boiling Water Reactor	Pressurized water reactor	PRESSURISED HEAVY WATER REACTOR	FAST BREEDER REACTOR
Purpose	Electricity	Electricity, nuclear powered ships	Electricity, plutonium production	Electricity, plutonium production
Coolant	Water	Water	Heavy Water D20	Molten liquid sodium
Moderator	Water	Water	Heavy Water D20	Not required
Fuel	Uranium dioxide	Uranium dioxide	Uranium dioxide Or metal	Plutonium dioxide and UO2 in different combinations
Enrichment level	Low enriched	Low Enriched	Natural Uranium [Not enriched]	Various mixtures of P-239 and U-235

Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC)

Department of Atomic Energy
HQ: Hyderabad
It is responsible for supply of nuclear fuel bundles and reactor core components for all nuclear power reactors operating in India

Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL)

CPSE under Department of Atomic energ y
Products - Minerals, Rare Earths, Chemicals

Rare Earths

They are a series of chemical elements found in Earth crust that are vital to modern technologies including consumer electronics, computers and network, communications, advanced transport, health care,
There are 17 elements that are considered to be rare earth elements - 15 are in lanthanide series and Scandium and Yttrium
Rare earth metals are abundant but they tend to occur with one another and hence are difficult to separate from one another

Atomic Energy Commission AEC

Under Department of Atomic Energy which reports directly to PM
Secretary to the Government of India in the Department of Atomic Energy is ex-officio Chairman of the Commission.

NOTE: PM is not chairman of Atomic Energy Commission

Other members are appointed for each calendar year on the recommendation of the Chairman, AEC and after approval by the Prime Minister.

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board(AERB)

Statutory body created by the President under Atomic Energy Act, 1962 to carry out the regulatory and safety functions under the Act
Derives powers from the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Environmental (Protection) Act, 1986

Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL)

It is a Public Sector Enterprise under Department of Atomic Energy
Supplies the Uranium for the Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors that plays significant role in nuclear power generations in India
UCIL is constructing a new underground mine and process plant at Tummalapalle, Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.
Nuclear mines in India

Operational - Banduhurang, Bagjata, Mohuldih, Jaduguda, Bhatin, Narwapahar, Turamdih - All are in Jharkhand

In construction - Tummalapalle

Pre-construction - Gogi in Karnataka, Lambapur in Telangana and KP M in Meghalaya.;

Process plants that are in operation - Jaduguda and Turamdih

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)

It is a Public Sector Enterprise and Public limited company under Department of Atomic Energy
NPCIL is responsible for design, construction, commissioning and operation of nuclear power reactors.
It is presently operating 22 nuclear power reactors with an installed capacity of 5780 MW.
Recently, It insured all of its atomic power plants with – New India Assurance Company Ltd which complies with Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act 2010.

Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (CLND) Act 2010/ Nuclear Liability Act

Aims to provide a civil liability for nuclear damage and prompt compensation to the victims of a nuclear incident
Appointment of Claims Commissioner, establishment of Nuclear Damage Claims Commission
This is one of the last steps needed to activate the 2008 Indo-U.S. civilian nuclear agreement as the United states nuclear reactor manufacturing companies will require the liability bill to get insurance in their home state.
The Act effectively caps the maximum amount of liability in case of each nuclear accident at ₹5 bi lion to be paid by the operator of the nuclear plant, and if the cost of the damages exceeds this amount, special drawing rights up to 300 million will be paid by the Central Government

International Commission on Radiological Protection(ICRP)

Independent, international organisation
Members: Policy makers, scientists
HQ: Ottawa, Canada
To prevent cancer and other diseases and effects associated with exposure to ionizing radiation, and to protect the environment.
International System of Radiological Protection -radiological protection standards, legislation, guidelines, programmes, and practice

Nuclear Deals

USA
Russia
France
UK
Japan
South Korea
Australia
Canada
Bangladesh
Vietnam
Kazhakhstan
Mongolia
Namibia (Namibia signed an agreement with India in 2009 for uranium supply. But pending ratification in Namibian parliament)

Research Reactors

Research reactors are nuclear reactors used for research, radioisotope production, education, training etc. Besides they produce neutrons which is used in industry, medicine, agriculture, forensics, etc
Research reactors are simpler than power reactors and operate at lower temperatures
Like power reactors, research reactors require cooling of the core and hence moderator is required to slow down the neutrons.
Also, as research reactors used to produce neutrons, they also require a reflector to reduce neutrons loss from the core
Research reactors are the back bone of a country’s Nuclear ProgrammeCurrently Apsara-U, Dhruva and Kamini are the research reactors operational in India.

Apsara-U

Upgraded version of Apsara which is made indigenously
Apsara is the first reactor in Asia which had become operational in 1956 and shut down in 2009
It uses plate type dispersion fuel elements made of Low Enriched Uranium (LEU)
Owing to higher neutron flux, this reactor will increase indigenous production of radio-isotopes for medical application by about 50%.
It would also be used for research in nuclear physics, material science and radiation shielding

Kamini

Kalpakkam Mini
KAMINI is the only reactor in the world operating with 233U fuel which is produced by the thorium fuel cycle harnessed by the neighbouring Fast Breeder Test Reactor
It is very important for the third stage of Indian nuclear power programme

Dhruva (at BARC in Trombay, Mumbai)

India's largest research reactor
It is the primary source of weapons-grade plutonium.

Kaiga Nuclear Power Plant

Located near Karwar, Karnataka
It is a Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor
It now, Dec 2018 holds the world record for the longest uninterrupted operation of 941 days

Jaitapur nuclear power project

Located in Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra
Partnership b/w India and France
If built, it would be the largest nuclear power generating station in the world by net generation capacity, at 9,900 MW

Nuclear Energy