Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 31 reiterated India’s commitment to sustainable energy through nuclear power. He said this while sharing an article by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, where he discusses how the country is set to substantially increase nuclear energy production.
“Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh elaborates on how nuclear power has emerged as a crucial pillar in India’s quest for a sustainable and self-reliant energy future,” PM Modi said in a post shared on social media platform X.
In the article, Jitendra had mentioned opening up the nuclear energy sector to private players, its rise in recent years and the challenges faced even as electricity demand in the country is projected to triple by 2047. He stated that nuclear power is the answer to India’s challenge of how to promote rapid economic growth while also reducing carbon emissions and ensuring energy security.
“Nuclear energy represents one of the most concentrated forms of power generation, where small amounts of fuel can produce enormous quantities of electricity with minimal carbon emissions,” Jitendra wrote in the article.
He noted that, unlike other renewable sources such as solar and wind, nuclear power is reliable and not dependent on weather conditions. “While hydropower faces seasonal variations and ecological concerns, and coal continues to pose serious environmental challenges, nuclear energy offers a sustainable alternative,” the MoS said.
He stated that in the last decade, nuclear capacity has surged by over 70 per cent om the country. “While nuclear power currently contributes approximately 3 per cent of India’s electricity generation, this figure is set to grow substantially with 21 reactors totalling 15,300 MW at various stages of implementation”.
