Delivering the keynote address on the role of nuclear energy in the future energy mix, Narayanan said nuclear power currently accounted for only about 3 to 4 per cent of India’s total energy basket. “This needs to be increased to at least 10 to 15 per cent in the initial stages and to higher levels later,” he said.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) Tamil Nadu State Council organised the event as part of discussions on green energy and manufacturing to support Tamil Nadu’s long-term growth.
Narayanan said that public discussions on alternative fuels often focussed on biofuels, hydrogen, natural gas and synthetic fuels, while nuclear energy was rarely mentioned in the same context. “Nuclear energy provides high-density, low-carbon base load power. It complements renewable energy and is important for reducing grid emissions,” he said.
He acknowledged concerns related to high capital costs, long construction timelines, proliferation risks and nuclear waste management but said these challenges should not prevent India from expanding nuclear power.
Highlighting India’s rising energy needs, Narayanan said that the country’s per capita electricity consumption must grow at least three to four times to reach the levels of advanced economies. “We are a nation with the world’s largest population. Our future electricity needs cannot be met by a single source. Nuclear fuel, to my mind, is a ready alternative,” he said.
Referring to his experience as National Security Adviser between 2005 and 2010, Narayanan said that the foundations for India’s nuclear expansion were laid during that period. “Before 2008, our civil and strategic nuclear programmes were not clearly separated. This was a major constraint,” he said.
He said that the India-US Civil Nuclear Deal of 2008 helped remove these barriers by separating civil nuclear activities and enabling access to global nuclear fuel markets. This improved the availability of uranium from foreign sources, he added.
Narayanan also pointed to recent developments in international cooperation. Referring to the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India, he said that Russia had committed to uninterrupted nuclear fuel supplies. Russia’s state-owned nuclear corporation had already delivered fuel for the third unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, he said.
“At present, two units at Kudankulam are operational and four more are under construction. Together, the six units will have a total installed capacity of 6,000 MW,” he said.
Narayanan welcomed the Union Cabinet’s recent approval to strengthen nuclear power as a key pillar of India’s energy mix. He referred to the proposed SHANTI Bill 2025, which aims to accelerate civil nuclear energy production by reforming liability laws and opening the sector to private and foreign participation.
“This will help attract investment and end the long-standing government monopoly in the sector,” he said.
Looking ahead, Narayanan said that India had the technology to scale up nuclear power significantly. He said that the country could target 60 GWe by 2035 and 100 GWe by 2047, while stressing that nuclear safety and security must remain a priority.
Concluding his address, Narayanan said, “Atomic energy can well be the means to India’s future energy security.”
