As India moves ahead with its ambitious plan to scale up nuclear power capacity to 100 GW by 2047, the government aims to manage its nuclear waste generated from this expansion, in accordance with the country’s established, internationally aligned protocols.
According to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), India’s waste management philosophy is clear: no waste—solid, liquid or gaseous—is released into the environment unless it meets strict clearance and regulatory norms. This approach, officials say, has been central to India’s nuclear safety track record and will continue through the upcoming expansion.
Nearly Closed Fuel Cycle to Reduce Waste Burden
India currently follows a nearly closed nuclear fuel cycle, in which spent fuel from reactors is reprocessed to recover usable fissile material. This recovered material is then recycled back into future reactors, significantly reducing the volume of high-level waste.
Only a very small fraction of the spent fuel that cannot be reused remains as high-level radioactive waste. This residue is vitrified—immobilised in a stable glass matrix—and stored safely in Solid Storage Surveillance Facilities for long-term monitoring. Officials note that these methods are on par with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) guidelines, and have been safely adopted for decades.
Infrastructure Ready for Expansion
The DAE maintains that existing waste management facilities, including Near Surface Disposal Facilities (NSDF), currently have adequate capacity to store low- and intermediate-level waste from nuclear power plants. For new reactors or expanded clusters, authorities say capacity will either be increased or new facilities will be constructed based on site conditions to ensure continued safety for both the public and the environment.
Next-Generation Technologies Under Development
India is also working on advanced partitioning technologies aimed at separating long-lived radioactive elements from high-level waste. These processes can extract useful radioisotopes for medical and industrial applications, while sharply reducing the volume of waste that needs vitrification. With these advances, officials say India does not foresee a need for a deep geological repository in the near future, unlike several Western countries that rely heavily on long-term underground disposal.
Additionally, the country is pursuing research to incinerate long-lived actinides using high-energy accelerators and fast reactors—both part of DAE’s Amritkal targets. If successful, this could eliminate the requirement for permanent disposal of high-level waste in the long term.
Waste Plan for SMRs also outlined
As India explores small modular reactors (SMRs), slightly enriched uranium has emerged as a potential fuel. The DAE clarified that the waste management philosophy for SMRs remains unchanged: recycle domestic fuel wherever possible, extract any usable isotopes, reduce waste volume, vitrify the remainder, and store it in monitored facilities.
A Future Built on Safety and Reuse
With the 100‑GW expansion forming a critical part of India’s long‑term clean energy strategy, the government is signalling that its nuclear waste management approach will rely not only on established global practices but also on intensive R&D to further reduce waste volumes. As officials emphasise, the goal is simple: safe operations, minimal environmental impact, and maximum recycling—ensuring India’s nuclear growth remains both sustainable and secure.
