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NTPC–NPCIL Joint Venture Invites INR 28,000 Crore EPC Bids for 2.8 GW Mahi Banswara Nuclear Project

Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Limited (ASHVINI), the joint venture between NTPC Limited and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL), has invited bids for a nuclear island Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) package worth more than INR 28,000 crore for the 2.8 GW Mahi Banswara Nuclear Power Project in Rajasthan. The tender is the largest nuclear island EPC package floated under India's indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) programme and marks a significant milestone in the country's efforts to expand nuclear power generation.

The project will comprise four indigenous 700 MW PHWR units, adding a combined installed capacity of 2,800 MW. The EPC contract covers the design, engineering, manufacturing, procurement, inspection, transportation, civil construction, installation, testing, commissioning and maintenance support for the Nuclear Island Mega EPC Package (NIMEP). The scope also includes critical infrastructure such as the reactor buildings, nuclear building raft, internal structures, heavy water upgrading plant, plant water systems and radioactive waste management facilities, all of which are integral to the safe operation of the nuclear power station.

The nuclear island represents the most technologically advanced and safety-critical section of a nuclear power plant, housing the reactor, steam generation equipment and associated systems responsible for controlled nuclear fission and electricity generation. By consolidating the construction of four reactor units under a single EPC package, the project is expected to improve execution efficiency, optimise costs through economies of scale and create substantial opportunities for India's heavy engineering, manufacturing and construction industries.

NPCIL described the tender as the largest-ever nuclear island EPC package issued under the country's indigenous PHWR programme. The initiative reflects India's growing emphasis on increasing domestic participation in high-value nuclear infrastructure while strengthening the local supply chain for specialised equipment, components and engineering services.

The Mahi Banswara Nuclear Power Project is the first project being implemented by ASHVINI, the joint venture established by NPCIL and NTPC to jointly develop, own and operate nuclear power projects across the country. The collaboration combines NPCIL's expertise in nuclear technology and plant operation with NTPC's extensive experience in developing and managing large-scale power generation projects.

India currently operates 24 nuclear reactors with a combined installed capacity of approximately 8.78 GW, while 10 additional reactor units with a total capacity of around 8,000 MW are under various stages of construction. The Government of India has also outlined an ambitious long-term objective of expanding the country's nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047 as part of its broader clean energy and energy security strategy.

Nuclear energy is expected to play an increasingly important role in India's evolving electricity mix by providing low-carbon, round-the-clock baseload power that complements the rapid expansion of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. Large-scale projects like the Mahi Banswara Nuclear Power Project are expected to strengthen grid reliability, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, support long-term decarbonisation goals and enhance the country's self-reliance in advanced nuclear technology and manufacturing.