Nuclear Power Plants in India: Complete List for SSC & UPSC
India operates 7 nuclear power plants (stations) with 23 operational reactors and a total installed capacity of about 7,480 MW, all managed by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) under the Department of Atomic Energy. The stations are located in Maharashtra (Tarapur), Tamil Nadu (Kudankulam, Kalpakkam), Rajasthan (Rawatbhata), Gujarat (Kakrapar), Uttar Pradesh (Narora), Karnataka (Kaiga) and Haryana (Gorakhpur, under commissioning).
- Quick Answer: List of Nuclear Power Plants in India
- India’s Nuclear Power Programme: Three-Stage Overview
- Map-Based Revision: Nuclear Stations by State
- Tarapur Atomic Power Station (Maharashtra)
- Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (Tamil Nadu)
- Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (Rawatbhata)
- Other Plants: Kaiga, Kakrapar, Narora, Kalpakkam
- Upcoming & Under-Construction Nuclear Projects
- Key Organisations: NPCIL, DAE, AERB and BHAVINI
- India’s Share of Nuclear Energy & Thorium Reserves
- One-Liner Facts for Rapid Revision
- Practice MCQs: SSC & UPSC Pattern
- Revision Table
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: Where is the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant located?
- Q: Which is the first nuclear power plant in India?
- Q: How many nuclear reactors are operational in India?
- Q: Which is India’s largest nuclear power plant?
- Q: What is the full form of PHWR and which plants use it?
- Related reading
Quick Answer: List of Nuclear Power Plants in India
Here is the direct answer table of all operational nuclear power stations in India with state, operator and reactor count — memorise this for SSC CGL, UPSC Prelims and Banking exams.
| Nuclear Power Station | State / District | Operator | Reactors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) | Maharashtra (Palghar) | NPCIL | 2 BWR + 2 PHWR |
| Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPS) | Rajasthan (Rawatbhata, Chittorgarh) | NPCIL | 6 PHWR |
| Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS) | Tamil Nadu (Kalpakkam) | NPCIL | 2 PHWR |
| Kaiga Generating Station (KGS) | Karnataka (Uttara Kannada) | NPCIL | 4 PHWR |
| Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) | Gujarat (Surat) | NPCIL | 2 PHWR + 2 PHWR-700 |
| Narora Atomic Power Station (NAPS) | Uttar Pradesh (Bulandshahr) | NPCIL | 2 PHWR |
| Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP) | Tamil Nadu (Tirunelveli) | NPCIL | 2 VVER-1000 (+2 under commissioning) |
India’s Nuclear Power Programme: Three-Stage Overview
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) designed a three-stage nuclear power programme to secure India’s energy independence using its limited uranium but abundant thorium reserves:
- Stage 1 — Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs): Use natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as moderator and coolant. Most Indian reactors today belong to this stage.
- Stage 2 — Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs): Use plutonium recovered from Stage 1 spent fuel. The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR, 500 MW) at Kalpakkam is under commissioning by BHAVINI.
- Stage 3 — Thorium-Based Reactors: Use India’s vast thorium reserves (monazite sands of Kerala and Tamil Nadu) in Advanced Heavy Water Reactors (AHWR) for long-term energy security.
Map-Based Revision: Nuclear Stations by State
- Maharashtra: Tarapur (Palghar district) — western coast; Jaitapur (Ratnagiri) upcoming.
- Tamil Nadu: Kalpakkam (Chengalpattu) and Kudankulam (Tirunelveli) — southern tip of the peninsula.
- Rajasthan: Rawatbhata (Chittorgarh district) — on the Chambal river near the Madhya Pradesh border.
- Gujarat: Kakrapar (Surat district) — near the Tapi river.
- Uttar Pradesh: Narora (Bulandshahr district) — on the Ganga canal.
- Haryana: Gorakhpur (Fatehabad district) — GHAVP under construction.
- Karnataka: Kaiga (Uttara Kannada district) — in the Western Ghats near the Kali river.
Tarapur Atomic Power Station (Maharashtra)
Tarapur, commissioned in 1969, is India’s first and oldest nuclear power station, built with American cooperation. TAPS-1 and 2 are Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs) — the only BWRs in India — while TAPS-3 and 4 (2005–2006) are PHWRs of 540 MW each. Tarapur is located near Boisar in Palghar district, Maharashtra.
Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (Tamil Nadu)
Kudankulam (KKNPP) is an Indo-Russian collaboration located in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. Its Units 1 and 2 use VVER-1000 pressurised water reactors supplied by Russia, commissioned in 2013–2016. Units 3 and 4 (VVER-1000 each) are under advanced stages of construction, and Units 5 and 6 are planned — making Kudankulam India’s largest nuclear complex when complete (6,000 MW+). VVER reactors use light water and enriched uranium, unlike Indian PHWRs.
Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (Rawatbhata)
Rawatbhata hosts India’s largest cluster of reactors — six operational PHWR units (including 100 MW, 200 MW and 220 MW classes) plus two PHWR-700 units (RAPS-7 and 8) under construction. It lies on the Chambal river in Chittorgarh district, Rajasthan, near Rana Pratap Sagar dam. RAPS-1 began commercial operation in 1973 with Canadian (CANDU) cooperation.
Other Plants: Kaiga, Kakrapar, Narora, Kalpakkam
- Kaiga (Karnataka): 4 PHWR units of 220 MW each; Kaiga-1 achieved criticality in 2000.
- Kakrapar (Gujarat): 2 PHWR-220 units (first criticality 1993) plus indigenous PHWR-700 units 3 and 4 (KAPS-3 became the first 700 MW unit to start commercial operation, in 2024).
- Narora (Uttar Pradesh): 2 PHWR-220 units, first criticality 1989; located in Bulandshahr district.
- Madras/Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu): MAPS-1 and 2 (PHWR-220), first criticality 1983 — India’s first indigenously built reactors; also home to the PFBR.
Upcoming & Under-Construction Nuclear Projects
- Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana (GHAVP): 2 × 700 MW PHWRs at Gorakhpur, Fatehabad district.
- Jaitapur (Maharashtra): Planned 6 × 1650 MW EPR reactors with French (EDF) cooperation — would be the world’s largest nuclear power station by capacity if built.
- Kovvada (Andhra Pradesh): Proposed light-water reactor project with US-origin technology (Westinghouse AP1000).
- Kaiga Units 5 & 6: Approved PHWR-700 units.
- PFBR Kalpakkam: 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor by BHAVINI, under commissioning — a Stage-2 milestone.
Key Organisations: NPCIL, DAE, AERB and BHAVINI
- NPCIL (Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited): Operates all commercial nuclear power plants in India.
- DAE (Department of Atomic Energy): Apex body for nuclear policy and research, under the Prime Minister’s direct charge.
- AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board): Independent regulator for nuclear and radiation safety.
- BHAVINI (Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam): Builds and operates fast breeder reactors, including the PFBR.
India’s Share of Nuclear Energy & Thorium Reserves
Nuclear power contributes roughly 3% of India’s total electricity generation (about 8,000–8,900 MW installed including under-commissioning units). India holds the world’s largest thorium reserves — estimated at over 3,60,000 tonnes of thorium metal in monazite sands, mainly along the Kerala and Tamil Nadu coasts — which underpins Stage 3 of the nuclear programme. For authoritative updates, refer to the NPCIL website and PIB.
One-Liner Facts for Rapid Revision
- First nuclear power plant in India — Tarapur (1969), Maharashtra.
- Largest reactor cluster — Rajasthan Atomic Power Station, Rawatbhata (6 operational reactors).
- Only BWR reactors in India — Tarapur Units 1 & 2.
- Only VVER reactors — Kudankulam Units 1 & 2 (Indo-Russian).
- Only Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR, 500 MW) — Kalpakkam, operated by BHAVINI.
- First indigenous reactors — Madras Atomic Power Station, Kalpakkam (1983).
- India’s first 700 MW indigenous PHWR in commercial operation — Kakrapar-3 (2024).
- Regulator of nuclear safety — AERB, Mumbai.
Practice MCQs: SSC & UPSC Pattern
- India’s first nuclear power plant is located in which state?
(a) Rajasthan (b) Maharashtra (c) Tamil Nadu (d) Gujarat — Answer: (b) Maharashtra (Tarapur, 1969) - Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant is located in which district of Tamil Nadu?
(a) Kanyakumari (b) Thoothukudi (c) Tirunelveli (d) Chengalpattu — Answer: (c) Tirunelveli - Which type of reactors are installed at Kudankulam?
(a) PHWR (b) BWR (c) VVER-1000 (d) FBR — Answer: (c) VVER-1000 - The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) is located at:
(a) Tarapur (b) Kalpakkam (c) Narora (d) Kaiga — Answer: (b) Kalpakkam - Which company operates India’s commercial nuclear power plants?
(a) NTPC (b) BHEL (c) NPCIL (d) BHAVINI — Answer: (c) NPCIL - Rajasthan Atomic Power Station is situated on which river?
(a) Luni (b) Chambal (c) Banas (d) Mahi — Answer: (b) Chambal - India’s nuclear power programme Stage 2 is based on:
(a) Natural uranium PHWRs (b) Fast Breeder Reactors (c) Thorium reactors (d) Light water reactors — Answer: (b) Fast Breeder Reactors - Kaiga Generating Station is located in which state?
(a) Kerala (b) Andhra Pradesh (c) Karnataka (d) Maharashtra — Answer: (c) Karnataka - Which body regulates nuclear safety in India?
(a) DAE (b) NPCIL (c) AERB (d) NITI Aayog — Answer: (c) AERB - India holds the world’s largest reserves of:
(a) Uranium (b) Thorium (c) Plutonium (d) Beryllium — Answer: (b) Thorium
Revision Table
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Oldest plant | Tarapur (1969) |
| Largest reactor cluster | Rawatbhata (RAPS) |
| Largest upcoming complex | Kudankulam (6 × VVER-1000) |
| Only FBR | PFBR, Kalpakkam (BHAVINI) |
| First indigenous 700 MW PHWR | Kakrapar-3 |
| Nuclear share in electricity | ~3% |
| Thorium reserves rank | World’s largest |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where is the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant located?
Kudankulam is in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. It is an Indo-Russian joint project using VVER-1000 pressurised water reactors, with Units 1 and 2 operational and further units under construction.
Q: Which is the first nuclear power plant in India?
Tarapur Atomic Power Station in Maharashtra, commissioned in 1969 with US cooperation. Its Units 1 and 2 are India’s only Boiling Water Reactors (BWRs).
Q: How many nuclear reactors are operational in India?
India has 23 operational reactors across 7 stations with a total capacity of about 7,480 MW, all operated by NPCIL. Verify the latest count at npcil.nic.in as new units are commissioned.
Q: Which is India’s largest nuclear power plant?
Rajasthan Atomic Power Station at Rawatbhata has the most reactors (6 operational PHWR units). By capacity among completed stations, Kudankulam and Rawatbhata lead, and Kudankulam will be India’s largest complex once all six VVER units are complete.
Q: What is the full form of PHWR and which plants use it?
PHWR stands for Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor. It is used at Kaiga, Kakrapar, Narora, Rajasthan (Rawatbhata) and Madras (Kalpakkam) stations, plus Tarapur Units 3 and 4.
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Quick revision
- Stage 1 — Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs): Use natural uranium as fuel and heavy water as moderator and coolant. Most Indian reactors today belong to this stage.
- Stage 2 — Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs): Use plutonium recovered from Stage 1 spent fuel. The Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR, 500 MW) at Kalpakkam is under commissioning by BHAVINI.
- Stage 3 — Thorium-Based Reactors: Use India’s vast thorium reserves (monazite sands of Kerala and Tamil Nadu) in Advanced Heavy Water Reactors (AHWR) for long-term energy security.
- Maharashtra: Tarapur (Palghar district) — western coast; Jaitapur (Ratnagiri) upcoming.
- Tamil Nadu: Kalpakkam (Chengalpattu) and Kudankulam (Tirunelveli) — southern tip of the peninsula.
- Rajasthan: Rawatbhata (Chittorgarh district) — on the Chambal river near the Madhya Pradesh border.
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