Centre ready to set up nuclear power plant in Bihar: Manohar Lal Khattar

Union Energy Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday (June 24, 2025) announced in Patna that the Centre was ready to set up a nuclear power plant in Bihar as part of its plan to establish six Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) across the country.

“If the Bihar government wants to set up a nuclear power plant, the central government is fully prepared to provide support,” assured Mr. Khattar while speaking to media persons.

He presided over the fifth meeting of Energy Ministers of eastern States such as Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and others in Patna on Tuesday. Later, he said, “While agreeing to the demand of Bihar government to set up a nuclear power plant in the State, we also agreed on a proposal to provide additional 500 MW power to the State for three months.”

“At the meeting we reviewed the power situation in eastern States, their problems and also discussed the vision for power sector in the country till 2035,” said the Union Minister.

Mr. Khattar praised the installation of a record number of smart meters in Bihar. “The State was said to be backward in power sector, but today it has come forward. Today, Bihar has demanded that a nuclear power plant be set up in the State,1 and the central government has agreed to support Bihar in setting up the plant,” asserted the Minister.

“Earlier, the country was known as a power deficit one…in the year 2013-14 there was power deficit of 4.50% in the country, but today we’re not only fulfilling our power needs by generating it but also exporting it to the countries such as Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Nepal,” he added. “The country is becoming self-sufficient in power sector,” asserted Mr. Khattar.

The Union Minister further said that in the coming days, India would need more power to meet its growing demand and “we aim to set up a nuclear power plant in every State to ensure the country’s energy security”.

If set up, this will be the first nuclear power plant in the State and it is expected to provide “not only stable energy source but also to boost investment, employment and technological advancement in the region”. This is a historic opportunity for Bihar. With the central government’s green signal, a revolutionary shift is expected in the State’s energy sector. Now all eyes are on how quickly the Bihar government implements this proposal, the Minister added.

Compared to traditional large nuclear reactors, the Small Modular Reactors of nuclear power can be set up in a short duration at a lower cost with enhanced safety. The SMRs are suitable for regions with moderate power demand where setting up large scale nuclear plants may not be feasible.