ASHVINI to Float ₹28,000 Crore Mahi Banswara EPC Tender

Anushakti Vidhyut Nigam Limited (ASHVINI) is set to invite bids for a ₹28,000 crore Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) tender for the Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project in Banswara district, Rajasthan. The package is named the Nuclear Island Mega EPC Package (NIMEP) and covers four 700 MWe Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor units with a combined capacity of 2,800 MWe.

ASHVINI and Project Structure

ASHVINI is a joint venture between Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and NTPC Limited. The Mahi Banswara project is also known as the Mahi Banswara Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (MBRAPP).

Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor Programme

The project belongs to India’s indigenous 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor programme. A Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor uses heavy water as moderator and coolant, and India has used this reactor type in its domestic nuclear power fleet.

Scope of the Nuclear Island Mega EPC Package

The EPC package includes engineering, manufacturing, supply of equipment, civil construction, installation of systems, testing, and commissioning support for the nuclear island. The tender is described as the largest Nuclear Island EPC package issued for India’s indigenous 700 MW PHWR programme.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board approved excavation activities for MBRAPP Units 1 and 2 in March 2026.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the project on 25 September 2025.
• The overall estimated cost of the Mahi Banswara project is ₹50,000 crore.
• The project target for India’s nuclear power capacity is 22 GW by 2032 and 100 GW by 2047.

Capacity and Nuclear Power Targets

The four units together will add 2,800 MWe to the project capacity. India’s stated nuclear power targets include 22 GW by 2032 and 100 GW by 2047.