From Coal Sites to Nuclear Power
India has shortlisted 10 retired or ageing coal plants for conversion into nuclear sites, aiming to reach 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047 (vs. ~8.8 GW today).
Site selection will be shaped by water access, seismic stability and population density.
Why It Matters
Because it’s a lesson in rethinking what we already have:
🔁 Smarter transition: India plans to reuse former coal sites to build nuclear capacity. This may reduce costs by ~35% compared to developing greenfield sites, according to the U.S. DOE.
🔬 Scalable innovation: India is also exploring Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) — a flexible and cost-effective option, useful for sites with limited space.
♻️ Cleaner air: Each converted coal site means reducing carbon, sulphur and particulate matter emissions. New energy capacity is added in, while simultaneously retiring coal burners. This approach helps India achieve its goal of net-zero by 2070.
✔️ Faster deployment: Reduces land acquisition hurdles, leverages existing infrastructure and grid access. Speeds up commissioning time compared to new-site nuclear builds.
💸 Investment opportunities: India’s recent policy reforms allow private investors and global firms to fund coal-to-nuclear (C2N) projects — a major change for an industry that has traditionally been state-owned.
A Smarter Way to Transition
India joins a growing number of countries recognising that the clean energy transition is not only about installing new technologies —
It’s about reusing what we already have built, wisely.
It’s about infrastructure, communities, and workers also being included.
Repowering coal is another way for us to win.