India’s Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has approved first concrete for units 5&6 of the Kaiga NPP in Karnataka. According to the official notification of consent, the present status of the project is that “Excavation activities for identified safety-related structures at Kaiga 5&6 have been completed. Post-excavation investigations for Nuclear Building, Control Building and Station Auxiliary Building have been completed and are nearing completion for other structures. Preparatory activities for First Pour of Concrete are in progress”.
It adds that “after initial safety review by Nuclear Projects Safety Division and identified Review Groups/Divisions of AERB, the Application and supporting submissions were reviewed by Tier-l and Tier II regulatory committees. Taking into account these reviews, the application was considered and approved by the Board of AERB”. The consent is valid for five years, up to 28 February 2031.
AERB Chairman AK Balasubrahmanian said: “AERB’s permission for Kaiga 5&6 follows an extensive review to ensure compliance to safety and regulatory requirements and paves the path for construction of nuclear power plant based on approved design, safety analysis and following the requisite quality assurance requirements.”
Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) expects to construct the two indigenously designed 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) by 2031. Excavation works for the units began in May 2022.
Kaiga 5&6 are two of ten 700 MWe PHWRs approved for serial construction by the Union Government in 2017. Currently, Kaiga houses four 220 MWe PHWRs that were connected to the grid between 2000 and 2011.
Heavy engineering firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has already manufactured and delivered four of the eight steam generators for the two units. In April 2025 NPCIL presented a purchase order for the contract to build Kaiga 5&6 to Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd. The INR128bn ($1.4bn) engineering, procurement and construction contract for the two reactors was the biggest order placed by NPCIL and the first major nuclear contract for (L&T).
Besides Kaiga, 700 MWe PHWRs are planned for Mahi Banswara in Rajasthan (four units); Gorakhpur in Haryana (2 units) and Chutka in Madhya Pradesh (2 units). Two 700 MWe units at Kakrapar NPP in Gujurat, are already in commercial operation and one unit (7) at the Rajasthan NPP achieved full power in February. Construction of unit 8 at Rajasthan is underway.
