The Rockefeller Foundation today released The Role of Nuclear Energy in Powering Universal Energy Abundance for Emerging Economies, a new evidence-based report that examines how next-generation nuclear power paired with continued renewable energy expansion could help India meet its rapidly rising electricity demand and build a more resilient pathway to net-zero power.
The study, conducted by Bayesian Energy with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, models power-system development from 2025–2050 across eight emerging economies. For India, which already has one of the world’s most ambitious renewable energy build-outs, findings indicate that combining renewables with advanced nuclear solutions could unlock significant long-term cost savings, ease grid integration stress, and supply the firm power required to support industrial growth.
India’s exceptional solar potential ensures that renewables will remain foundational in the nation’s energy system. However, the study finds that advanced nuclear, particularly SMRs, provides firm, clean power that reduces the need for large-scale storage, smooths daily dispatch, and lowers peak generation requirements. This reduces the amount of solar, storage, and transmission infrastructure that would otherwise be needed to achieve a fully decarbonised grid.
Key Findings for India
- By 2050, India could build 168–328 GW of nuclear capacity under modelled scenarios.
- Nuclear could supply 13–28% of India’s total electricity generation by 2050.
- Integrating nuclear with renewable expansion could reduce total system costs by 10–21% compared to a renewables-only pathway.
- Nuclear acts as a firm, zero-carbon complement to India’s strong solar base, improving reliability during low-generation periods.
- The addition of nuclear reduces the need for large-scale storage and transmission expansion, easing grid integration challenges.
- Nuclear helps smooth daily dispatch curves, lowering peak loads and storage requirements.
- Advanced nuclear solutions, including SMRs, offer scalable options for India’s industrial and urban power demand growth.
“This modelling highlights a powerful opportunity for India: next-generation nuclear could supply up to 28 percent of the country’s electricity by 2050 while lowering total system costs by as much as 21 percent,” said Deepali Khanna, Senior Vice President and Head of Asia, The Rockefeller Foundation. “Philanthropy can play a catalytic role in advancing India’s nuclear future – from fostering informed public dialogue and strengthening institutional readiness, to de-risking early projects and enabling international collaboration for safe and responsible deployment.”
India is already one of the few EMDEs with large-scale nuclear operating experience and long-term national commitment to expansion. The report notes that, in a scenario where nuclear deployment accelerates alongside renewables, India could avoid substantial overbuild of storage and maintain grid reliability even under full decarbonisation.
This energy transformation could enable power-intensive sectors like steel, fertilisers, data centres, manufacturing, to operate on stable, low-carbon electricity, strengthening India’s industrial competitiveness, energy sovereignty, and growth trajectory through mid-century.
Rising energy demand and security concerns are driving renewed interest in nuclear power as a reliable, zero-emission option. This report offers evidence to help policymakers across EMDE’s, including in India, evaluate where advanced nuclear can support clean, dependable power systems.
