Bihar to Get Its First Nuclear Power Plant Under India's Nuclear Energy Mission
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| State | Bihar |
| Event | Bihar to receive its first nuclear power plant |
| Technology | Small Modular Reactor (SMR) |
| Announcement | Announced during the 5th Eastern Region Power Ministers' meeting in Patna |
| States Involved | Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
| Current Nuclear Capacity | 8,180 MW (as of January 30, 2025) |
| Target Capacity | 100 GW by 2047 |
| Indigenous Technology | Focus on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), allocation of ₹20,000 crore for R&D |
| Private Sector | Legislative changes planned to amend the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 to encourage private sector participation |
| SMR Capacity | Up to 300 MW(e) |
| Additional Projects | Approval for 1,000 MW battery storage capacity project in Bihar, with viability gap funding of ₹18 lakh per megawatt. Foundation stone laid for a 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project in Siwan on 20th June 2025. |
| Additional Support | Centre to supply an additional 500 MW of electricity to Bihar for the next three to six months to support peak summer demand |
| Smart Meters | Bihar has installed eight million smart meters, leading to a substantial reduction in technical and commercial losses |