Adani Power is evaluating the possibility of developing its first nuclear power project at Bina in Madhya Pradesh while also assessing whether to use land at Bina and Nigrie for thermal or nuclear expansion, Chief Executive Officer SB Khyalia said, as the company prepares for private participation in India’s nuclear power sector.The sites are part of Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd (JPVL), in which Adani Power recently acquired a 24% stake. JPVL owns and operates the 500 MW Jaypee Bina Thermal Power Plant and the 1,320 MW Jaypee Nigrie Super Thermal Power Plant in Madhya Pradesh. According to Khyalia, both locations have sizeable land banks that could support future capacity additions. “At both Bina and Nigrie (Madhya Pradesh) a lot of land is available and we are considering whether we want to go for expansion of thermal or keep it for nuclear power. In the case of Bina we are also exploring the possibility of developing a nuclear site. It is conducive for various requirements of nuclear power plant,” Khaliya told investors on Thursday.The comments come as the Adani Group sharpens its focus on nuclear energy. The company has already incorporated a wholly owned subsidiary, Adani Atomic Energy Ltd, to pursue opportunities in the sector and has identified sites to develop 10 GW of nuclear generation capacity by 2035. The group’s plans follow the passage of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025, which opens the sector to private participation and small modular reactors (SMRs), with the government targeting 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047.Khyalia said the company is evaluating both domestic and international reactor technologies but is awaiting regulatory clarity before moving ahead. “The government has yet not come out with the rules under the Act. Unless we get clarity on that aspect it will be difficult to decide,” he said. “Nevertheless we are evaluating both domestic and foreign technologies. It will also depend on which one is more cost effective in terms of per megawatt cost because the electricity has to be viable for Indian consumers and affordable for discoms.”He added that the company is carrying out site suitability studies so that projects can move quickly once the regulatory framework is in place. “At present we are waiting for the rules to come. As soon as that happens we can move fast. We are keeping our sites ready from the point of view of their suitability and studies are being carried out,” Khyalia said.The company also expects thermal power to remain the dominant source of baseload electricity over the medium term, given the long gestation period for nuclear projects. “This summer has given a clear indication to the policy makers that a lot of thermal base load is required. Even if we get the rules in the near future, any nuclear power project—from planning to commissioning—will take 7-8 years. During this period, thermal will be the only source which will provide the base load power,” Khyalia said.He said several states are expected to invite bids for new thermal capacity as demand continues to outpace supply. “If you see the resource adequacy study of various states, every state is having a huge deficit and requirement for the next six years. So we expect many more bids to come from the discoms,” he said. To tap this opportunity, Adani Power has planned an additional 3 GW of thermal capacity over and above its previously announced 24 GW expansion programme, which is already tied to specific project locations, Khyalia added about the company that already has a 18GW operating capacity and is expected to expand its base load power capacity to 45 GW by FY32.Published on July 23, 2026