New Delhi, May 26: NLC India Limited (NLCIL) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to form a joint venture for developing nuclear power projects in the country, marking a major step toward strengthening India’s clean energy capacity and long-term energy security.
The agreement, signed on May 25, aims to develop 700 MW Indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR)-based nuclear power projects and other advanced reactor technologies based on mutually agreed terms.
The MoU was signed by NLCIL Director (Power) Venkatachalam and NPCIL Director (Technical) Rajesh in the presence of senior officials, including NLCIL Chairman and Managing Director Prasanna Kumar Motupalli and NPCIL Chairman and Managing Director Bhuwan Chandra Pathak.
The proposed joint venture will also explore investment opportunities in NPCIL’s existing and upcoming 700 MW PHWR projects.
The partnership comes as India targets 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 to support economic growth and climate goals. The initiative has gained momentum following the enactment of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill in December 2025, aimed at modernising the country’s nuclear policy and regulatory framework.
NLCIL, a Navratna CPSE under the Ministry of Coal, has been expanding beyond conventional power generation into renewable and green energy segments including solar, wind, pumped hydro storage, battery energy storage systems, green hydrogen and waste-to-energy projects.
NPCIL, under the Department of Atomic Energy, remains India’s key nuclear power utility responsible for the design, construction and operation of nuclear power plants.
Speaking on the occasion, NLCIL CMD Prasanna Kumar Motupalli said the collaboration marks a strategic milestone in the company’s diversification into sustainable energy and highlighted nuclear power’s role in supporting India’s Net Zero and long-term energy security objectives.
The two public sector enterprises said the partnership combines NLCIL’s power sector experience with NPCIL’s nuclear expertise to develop reliable, low-carbon base-load power infrastructure for the country.
