NTPC is making a massive pivot from coal to carbon-free baseload power. As of Friday, January 2, 2026, India’s state-owned power giant has signed non-disclosure agreements with Russia’s Rosatom and France’s EDF. This isn’t just another MOU; it’s a strategic hunt for the next generation of large-scale Pressurised Water Reactors (PWRs).
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The thing is, India has set a “Viksit Bharat” target of 100 GW of nuclear power by 2047.Or nothing. Let’s be real, we are currently sitting at just over 8 GW. To bridge that gap, NTPC is being drafted as the “heavy hitter” alongside the traditional monopoly, NPCIL. Those too.
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The “Nuclear Pivot” Log: Field Notes
NTPC isn’t just looking to buy tech; they’re looking to own the lifecycle.
The Global Giants: Rosatom (think Kudankulam-style tech) and EDF (who have been eyeing the Jaitapur project for years) are the primary targets for the “Heavy” 1,600 MW projects.
The Goal: To build 30 GW of nuclear capacity under the NTPC banner over the next two decades.
Indigenisation: NTPC wants to move past “turnkey” projects. They are pushing for local manufacturing and supply-chain “absorption”—basically, making sure the parts are made in India, even if the design is French or Russian.
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Policy Breakthrough: The SHANTI Act 2025
And here’s the kicker: this rush of activity is happening because the government just cleared the SHANTI Act (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India) in December 2025.
The Monopoly Ends: The act officially dismantled the 60-year state monopoly, allowing private and public sector players to take up to a 49% equity stake in nuclear projects.
Liability Fix: It overhauls the “Supplier Liability” headache that kept US and French firms away for a decade. Now, the liability sits primarily with the operator, making international deals much easier to sign.
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Small Reactors, Big Plans
It’s an ongoing situation where size isn’t the only thing that matters.
SMRs: While chasing big plants with Rosatom, NTPC is also talking to US-based Holtec International for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). These are safer, “plug-and-play” reactors perfect for powering data centers or green hydrogen hubs.
Thorium Dreams: NTPC is also looking at a minority stake in Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) to finally start utilizing India’s massive thorium reserves.
Basically, NTPC is evolving from a “thermal giant” into a “diversified energy vehicle.” If they pull this off, nuclear could move from a 3% niche to a 10%+ backbone of the Indian grid by 2040.
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