Lok Sabha Question No. 826 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: DAE Expansion Projects
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Parshottambhai Rupala

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 826

ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026

## DAE EXPANSION PROJECTS

## 826.    SHRI PARSHOTTAMBHAI RUPALA

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-

- (a) the  details  and  current  status  of  all  proposed  and  ongoing  expansion  projects  of  the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) including subordinate units, Boards and PSUs with approved costs and capacity targets, project-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has reviewed timelines for timely completion of these projects and adopted measures to prevent time and cost overruns and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  DAE  has  assessed  current  and  future  requirements  of  scientific  and  technical manpower and initiated focused recruitment and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government proposes to utilise the expertise of retired DAE scientists and technocrats  to  strengthen  execution  and  achieve  timely  completion  of  these  strategic initiatives and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a)    (a)  At present, seventeen nuclear power reactors with a total capacity of 13100 MW are under  implementation  comprising  of  seven  nuclear  reactors  under  construction  and  ten rectors under pre-project activities. The details are as under:

| Location                                    | Project                                     | Capacity (MW)                               | Physical Progress                           | Approved Cost (Rs. in crore)                | Expected Completi on                        |
|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| Projects Under Construction / Commissioning | Projects Under Construction / Commissioning | Projects Under Construction / Commissioning | Projects Under Construction / Commissioning | Projects Under Construction / Commissioning | Projects Under Construction / Commissioning |
| Rajasthan                                   | RAPP-7 $ &8                                 | 2 X 700                                     | 98.60                                       | 22,924                                      | 2026                                        |
| Kudankulam,                                 | KKNPP-3&4                                   | 2 X 1000                                    | 80.51                                       | 68,893                                      | 2027                                        |
| Tamilnadu                                   | KKNPP-5&6                                   | 2 X 1000                                    | 41.56                                       | 68,893                                      | 2030                                        |
| Gorakhpur, Haryana                          | GHAVP-1&2                                   | 2 X 700                                     | Civil works in progress                     | 20,594                                      | 2032                                        |
| Projects Under Pre-project Activities       | Projects Under Pre-project Activities       | Projects Under Pre-project Activities       | Projects Under Pre-project Activities       | Projects Under Pre-project Activities       | Projects Under Pre-project Activities       |
| Kaiga, Karnataka                            | Kaiga-5&6                                   | 2 X 700                                     | Under pre- project activities               | 1,05,000                                    | Progress ively by 2031-32                   |
| Gorakhpur,                                  | GHAVP- 3&4                                  | 2 X 700                                     | Under pre- project activities               | 1,05,000                                    | Progress ively by 2031-32                   |
| Haryana Chutka,                             | Chutka-1&2                                  | 2 X 700                                     | Under pre- project activities               | 1,05,000                                    | Progress ively by 2031-32                   |

Madhya

Pradesh

| Mahi Banswara, Rajasthan   | Mahi Banswara- 1&2* Mahi Banswara- 3&4*   | 2 X 700 2 X 700   | at various stages   |
|----------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------|---------------------|

- $    Unit-7 (700 MW) of RAPP-7&8 began commercial operation on 15.04.2025
* Mahi Banswara-1&2 and Mahi Banswara-3&4 being implemented by ASHVINI, a Joint Venture of NPCIL and NTPC.
- (b)   BHAVINI is currently commissioning a 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) project at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. Government has accorded approval to carry out pre-project activities for 2 x 500 MWe twin unit of FBR 1&2 project at Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu. On attaining first criticality of PFBR, Government will be approached for financial sanction of FBR 1 & 2 projects.
- (b) (a)    Yes.  The  progress  of  projects  is  reviewed  at  multiple  levels  in  Nuclear  Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and also by Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) periodically. Constant monitoring of progress of project activities at multiple levels, timely identification of constraints & making necessary mid-course corrections, frequent meetings with vendors/ contractors and re-sequencing of construction activities to the extent possible, are being taken to ensure the timely implementation of the projects.
- (b)    BHAVINI  has  the  following  institutional  mechanism  for  monitoring  the  project progress; Weekly review meetings at Unit level along with designers is being conducted to review the progress in commissioning and for better resource pooling. The project is also reviewed by BHAVINI Board on quarterly basis. These reviews help in reallocation of resources, quick decision making and expediting the project.
- (c) Yes, NPCIL  has  initiated focused recruitment at different levels considering the requirements of the expansion programme and timelines involved in recruitment, training and  licensing  of  personnel.  Recruitment  to  engage  80  Graduate  Engineer  Trainees  is initiated at ECIL.
- (d) Department of Atomic Energy has instituted a national level scheme known as 'DAE-Raja Ramanna Chair' (DAE-RRC) which is intended to utilize  the  services  of  active  retired scientists, engineers and technologists, who have been involved in high quality research in their  specialized  disciplines  in  the  units  of  the  DAE  or  any  National  Laboratory  or University or Institute and who after retirement are keen to carry out R&D and studies on the topics as identified by DAE.

The  department  has  also  instituted  'DAE-Homi  Sethna  Chair'  (DAE-HSC)  which  is intended to utilize the services of active retired scientists, engineers and technologists, who have been involved in high quality research in their specialized disciplines in the units of the DAE and who after retirement are keen to carry out R&D, policy & planning studies on the topics as identified by DAE.

The objective of the schemes is to gainfully utilize the services of active retired scientists, engineers  and  technologists  who  have  worked  in  the  areas  of  critical  and  sensitive technologies  and  who  can  constructively  contribute  in  a  regular  manner  to  the  research projects,  policy  and  planning  activities  of  DAE  as  per  the  topics  identified  by  the department.

Additionally, the DAE-RRC fellowship holders could take up writing of monographs or books on topics related to Atomic Energy and the DAE-HSC awardees will work on critical subject  matters  or  projects  and  carry  out  studies  on  policy  issues  with  the  objective  of providing to the Department, a detailed analysis within a prescribed time period.

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