Mahi Banswara Atomic Power Plant

Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant (MBRAPP)
CountryIndia
LocationBanswara, Rajasthan
Coordinates23°31′46″N 74°35′26″E / 23.52944°N 74.59056°E / 23.52944; 74.59056[1]
Construction beganLate 2025 (planned)
Construction cost50,000 crore (US$5.9 billion)
OwnersASHVINI JV - Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam (NPCIL - 51% and NTPC - 49%)
OperatorASHVINI
Nuclear power station
Reactor typeIPHWR-700
Reactor supplierNPCIL/BARC
Cooling sourceMahi Bajaj Sagar Dam, Mahi River
Power generation
Units planned4 x 700 MW
Nameplate capacity2800 MW

The Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Plant (MBRAPP) is a planned nuclear power plant to be built on a 1,366.49 acres (553.00 ha) area, near Banswara district of Rajasthan.[2][1]

The project will have an installed capacity of 2800 Megawatts (MW). On 9 May 2025, the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board gave permission for the project.

Prime minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the plant on September the 25th, 2025 during his visit to Rajasthan. The first unit will commence construction soon thereafter and is expected to be operational in six and a half years according to sources.

History

Nestled in the tribal areas of Rajasthan, the Mahi Banswara project aims to kick start the region by providing jobs and investment opportunity and alleviating the power shortage in the state. The plant construction was scheduled for 2024 and will be jointly developed by NTPC and NPCIL. Along with Chutka Nuclear Power Plant, NTPC aims to generate 3500 MW of electricity from nuclear sources.[3][4]

On 9 May 2025 the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India published siting consent for the proposed plant.[5]

On 25th September 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone at the site, during his visit to Banswara district of Rajasthan. All the clearances have been granted, and the construction is expected to begin in late 2025.

Design and specification

The proposed 700 MW IPHWR-700 reactors are indigenous and similar to the ones in operation at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPP-3 &4) and Rajasthan unit 8 and the unit currently under construction in Rajasthan Atomic Power Station (RAPP-8).

Cost and economics

The plant is jointly built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India and National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, the project is estimated to cost 50,000 crore (US$5.9 billion). The project is a part of the fleet mode reactor program of the Government of India under which 10 indigenous IPHWR-700 reactors are being built and the goal of 100 GWe nuclear capacity till 2047. The construction is to be started in 2025 and planned to be competed within 4-5 year.[6][7]

Units

Phase Unit
No.
Reactor Status Capacity in MWe Construction start First criticality Grid Connection Commercial operation Closure Notes
Type Model Net Gross
I 1 PHWR IPHWR-700 Planned 630 700 N/a N/a N/a 2031 (Planned) N/a
2 PHWR IPHWR-700 Planned 630 700 N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a
3 PHWR IPHWR-700 Planned 630 700 N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a
4 PHWR IPHWR-700 Planned 630 700 N/a N/a N/a N/a N/a

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project" (PDF). 12 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Proposal for Nuclear Power Plants in States". PIB (Press release). 15 March 2018.
  3. ^ "बांसवाड़ा परमाणु बिजलीघर में दूर होगा का बिजली संकट, जनवरी 2024 में शुरू होगा पहला रिएक्टर". NDTV (in Hindi). 5 September 2023.
  4. ^ "NTPC eyes 3.5 GW n-power by 2030, in talks for SMRs". Live Mint. 18 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Consent for Siting of Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (MBRAPP - 1 to 4)" (PDF). Atomic Energy Regulatory Board of India. 9 May 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 May 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
  6. ^ "India to get 7,000 MW from nuclear power by 2031 as govt grants bulk approval to reactors". Moneycontrol. 6 April 2024.
  7. ^ "The Government today informed that it has given bulk approval for the installation of ten nuclear reactors". PIB (Press release). 5 April 2023.