NTPC Partners US Firm for Thorium Fuel in India's Nuclear Reactors

• NTPC Ltd partnered with Chicago-based Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) to deploy thorium as an alternative nuclear fuel in India, enhancing India-US atomic energy cooperation.
• CCTE is only the second US company in two decades to get an export license from the US Department of Energy to sell nuclear tech to India, highlighting a strategic shift.
• NTPC's board approved a minority equity investment in CCTE, aligning with its goal of 30 GWe nuclear capacity by 2047 and entry into the nuclear fuel cycle.
• CCTE's ANEEL fuel blends thorium with HALEU, allowing direct use in India's existing PHWRs, bolstering fuel security and reducing reliance on imported uranium.
• This move, following the SHANTI Act 2025, enables earlier thorium deployment, leveraging India's vast reserves and addressing delays in fast breeder reactor development.

Why It Matters: NTPC's partnership with CCTE advances India's energy security via thorium fuel in existing reactors.