Science and Technology
Nuclear Technology
Welcome to the dedicated UPSC study hub for Nuclear Technology, a critical and high-yield segment within the broader Science and Technology syllabus. This domain, often perceived as complex,
29 articles in this topic
Articles on Nuclear Technology
SHANTI Act and the Nuclear Liability Debate in India
Context The SHANTI (Sustainable Harnessing of Advancement of Nuclear Technology for India) Act 2025, have triggered concerns regarding safety standards, victim compensation, and long-term energy strategy. About Traditionally, nuclear power plants in India have been owned and operated only by state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and its fully-owned subsidiary Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI). The SHANTI Act opens the nuclear power sector to private entities and alt
Nuclear Power Expansion is an RD Challenge
Published on: 27 January, 2026 The draft National Electricity Policy aims to align the power sector with India’s long-term energy goals.
India Flags the Indigenous Light Water Reactor (LWR) as Nuclear Priority
Context As India opens its nuclear power sector to private players and explores export opportunities, the nuclear establishment has stressed the need to fast-track the fabrication of indigenous Light Water Reactors (LWR). Light Water Reactors Light Water Reactors form a mainstay of the global nuclear program currently account for over 85% of the civil nuclear reactor capacity in the world. They use ordinary (light) water as both a coolant and a neutron moderator.
China’s EAST Fusion Reactor Beats Density Limit
Context Chinas Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) nuclear fusion reactor has breached a major fusion limit by firing plasma beyond its usual operational range. About They pushed plasma density 65% beyond a special threshold, entering a stable state that overcomes a long-standing barrier to achieving burning plasma, the stage where a fusion reaction becomes self-sustaining. This matters for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the fusion experiment in whi
Counting Electrons Reveals Thorium’s Nuclear Tick in Solid Clock
Context Scientists have found a way to detect thorium-229’s nuclear ‘tick’ in a solid, opening a path to miniaturised nuclear clocks. About Conventional atomic clocks count electron transitions, which are sensitive to external disturbances (electric/magnetic fields). Nuclear energy levels are far more shielded, promising more stable timekeeping.
Cabinet Approves SHANTI Bill
Context The Union Cabinet has approved the Atomic Energy Bill, 2025, titled SHANTI (Sustainable Harnessing of Advancement of Nuclear Technology for India). The Bill seeks to create a unified and modern legal framework for India’s nuclear sector. About Traditionally, nuclear power plants in India have been owned and operated only by state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and its fully-owned subsidiary Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI).
India’s Nuclear Power Generation Reaches Record High in FY 2024-25
Context According to the Department of Atomic Energy, NPCIL has, for the first time, crossed 50 billion units (BUs) of electricity generation in FY 2024–25. Nuclear Power in India India operates one of the world’s most unique nuclear programmes based on a three-stage nuclear strategy designed to utilise India’s abundant thorium reserves. The current installed nuclear power capacity in the country is around 8.78 GW, spread across 24 nuclear power reactors.
Nuclear Power in Space Missions
Context The US recently announced plans under its Lunar Fission Surface Power Project to deploy a small nuclear reactor on the moon by the early 2030s. Why Is Nuclear Power in Space Gaining Importance? The Moon has little atmosphere and experiences 14-day stretches of darkness, this makes solar energy unreliable in some of the most critical regions.
Private Sector Entry in India’s Nuclear Sector
Context Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the government is moving towards opening up the nuclear sector for private players. About Traditionally, nuclear power plants in India have been owned and operated only by state-owned Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) and its fully-owned subsidiary Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI). To allow private sector participation government has proposed amendments to key legislations; Atomic Energy Act, 1962, a framework for nuclear
Opening India’s Nuclear Energy Sector to Private Participation
In a landmark policy shift, India has opened its civilian nuclear energy sector to private companies—a domain exclusively reserved for the state since the enactment of the Atomic Energy Act, 1962.
China’s First-ever Thorium Fuel Conversion Paves Way for 100MW Molten-salt Reactor
Context China has successfully achieved the first-ever conversion of thorium into uranium fuel within a Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR). About It is the first time in the world that scientists have been able to acquire experimental data on thorium operations from inside a molten salt reactor. The achievement makes the 2 megawatt liquid-fuelled thorium-based molten salt reactor (TMSR) the only operating example of the technology in the world to have successfully loaded and used thorium fuel.
SST-Bharat Marks India’s Entry into the Global Fusion Race
Context Researchers at the Institute for Plasma Research (IPR) in Gandhinagar have laid out a roadmap for India to achieve fusion power. About The researchers envisage developing India’s first fusion electricity generator, called the Steady-state Superconducting Tokamak-Bharat (SST-Bharat), with a power output 5x the input. It will be a fusion-fission hybrid reactor with 100 MW of the total 130 MW provided by fission.
Foreign Vendors Flag Quality Upgrade Gaps in Nuclear Sector
Context The government is preparing two significant legal amendments aimed at opening up the civil nuclear energy domain to external players. Concerns Raised by Foreign Equipment Vendors Quality gaps among mid- and lower-tier suppliers: This gap has been specifically flagged in the second and third rung of equipment suppliers that, in turn, provide inputs to the tier-1 suppliers such as LT, Bharat Forge, Godrej Boyce and Walchandnagar Industries. Need for standardized quality protocols and a nat
Debate Over Nuclear Liability and Energy Policy in India
The proposed amendments to key nuclear legislations which aim to address long-standing issues related to supplier liability and private sector participation in nuclear energy, have sparked debate in Parliament.
NASA Plans to put a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
Context The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) is expected to fast-track plans to build a nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030. About The reactor is said to be part of the country’s broader ambitions to set up a permanent base for humans to live on the lunar surface. It is a 100-kilowatt reactor, smaller than on-shore wind turbines that typically generate 2-3 megawatts.
India To Address Concerns of Private Sector in Civil Nuclear Segment
Context The Union Minister of Science and Technology has said that India will address the apprehensions of the private sector globally about investments in the civil nuclear sector. About The Nuclear Sector was opened up to achieve the ambitious target of producing 100 GW of atomic power by 2047. Currently, India produces 8780 MWe of nuclear power and plans to scale it up to 22,480 MW by 2031-32.
India and UAE: Nuclear Energy & Advanced Technology Cooperation
Context India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are rapidly expanding their strategic partnership, marking a significant evolution from traditional trade ties to future-focused cooperation in energy, innovation, and sustainability. Concerns Challenges Need To Address Geopolitical Sensitivities: Indias balancing act amid Israel-Gaza tensions and UAE’s evolving stance in West Asia presents diplomatic challenges. Trade Economic Concerns: Despite CEPA’s success, trade remains concentrated in a few
Atomic Energy Board Grants Operational Licence to Two Home-built 700 MWe Reactors
In News The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has granted a five-year operation licence to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) for two indigenously developed 700 MWe Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat. India’s nuclear journey It began shortly after Independence with the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission in 1948. In 1956, Asia’s first research reactor, Apsara, was commissioned at the Bhabha Atomic Rese
Bihar to Get its First Nuclear Power Plant
Context Bihar is set to host its first nuclear power plant, making it one of the first six states to benefit from the Government of India’s National Nuclear Energy Mission. About The announcement comes as part of a broader push to diversify India’s energy mix, strengthen regional energy security, and integrate advanced technologies like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The Government has also approved a 1,000 MW battery storage capacity project in Bihar, aimed at enhancing grid stability and suppo
India’s Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA)
Context India is considering easing nuclear liability laws, specifically to reduce accident-related fines on equipment suppliers, in order to attract U.S. and other foreign firms for civil nuclear projects. What is Civil Nuclear Liability?