Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Ltd (ASHVINI), the joint venture of state-owned NTPC and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), has invited bids for the construction of the key nuclear section of the proposed 2,800 MW Mahi Banswara Nuclear Power Plant in Rajasthan.
The estimated value of the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract is over ₹28,000 crore. The tender, issued on Thursday, covers the Nuclear Island Mega EPC Package, which includes the reactor building, nuclear structures, heavy water upgrading plant, water systems and waste management facilities. The nuclear island is the core of a nuclear power plant where the reactor and other critical systems are located.
According to the tender document, the selected contractor will be responsible for engineering, design, supply, civil construction, installation, testing, commissioning, and operation and maintenance of the package. The project will have four indigenous Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) of 700 MW each, taking the total capacity to 2.8 GW. The project is significant as it will be the first nuclear power plant in India that will not be fully owned by NPCIL. So far, the country's entire installed nuclear power capacity of 8.8 GW is owned by NPCIL.
NPCIL said this is the largest Nuclear Island EPC package floated under India's indigenous PHWR programme. The package covers all major works required for the four reactors. The Centre is expanding nuclear power generation to strengthen energy security and reduce carbon emissions. It has set a target of 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047. In 2024-25, nuclear plants generated 56,681 million units of electricity, accounting for 3.1% of India's total power generation.