India's Nuclear Leap: Private Sector Eyes 700MW Reactor Tech

The Indian industry is advocating for a structured framework to facilitate the licensing and technology transfer of indigenous 700MW pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) to private developers. This move aims to accelerate nuclear capacity expansion and attract substantial investment by providing wider access to a standardized design. The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) has formally requested guidelines for technology transfer and licensing, noting that clarity will enable partnerships and manufacturing commitments.

A government report from September 2025 outlined a roadmap to achieve 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047. The report estimated PHWR costs at ₹15-16 crore per MW, translating to a levelized tariff above ₹6 per unit. Significant indigenization of equipment manufacturing could reduce capital costs for pressurized water reactors to ₹22-25 crore per MW, with a corresponding tariff of ₹6-6.60 per unit, though concerted efforts are required to achieve these reductions.

This industry proposal coincides with the government's ambition to expand nuclear power as part of its clean energy and energy security objectives. Indian companies are actively exploring foreign collaborations for technology. State-run NTPC has initiated discussions with foreign entities like Russia's Rosatom and France's EDF to explore potential partnerships for deploying large pressurized water reactor projects in India.