The Indian government on May 17 approved a plan to add 7,000 megawatt (MW) of nuclear generating capacity, more than doubling the nation's existing nuclear capacity.

India has a total power generation capacity of more than 326,000 MW, two-thirds of which is fueled by coal. Renewable energy accounts for 57,000 MW, and nuclear energy accounts for 6,780 MW.

Under the plan, India would build 10 pressurized heavy water reactors, each with a capacity of 700 MW, in a “fully home grown initiative”, the government said in a statement. Nuclear expansion would be one of the flagship projects under the "Make in India" initiative.