14 Years Later: Why Haryana’s Nuclear Power Dream Is Still on Hold

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5 Key Takeaways

• North India's first nuclear power plant (GHAVP) in Haryana, conceptualized in 2009-10, has faced significant delays and is still under construction.
• The initial target to commission the first unit by 2025 has been pushed to 2031-32 due to unexpected soil conditions and other technical challenges.
• Land acquisition, environmental clearances, and local resistance caused early administrative and procedural delays, with major construction only starting in 2022.
• The project consists of two phases with four 700 MW reactors; Phase I (Units 1 & 2) is expected by 2031, and Phase II (Units 3 & 4) by 2032.
• Despite setbacks, construction has recently accelerated, with close monitoring, equipment procurement, and community/environmental initiatives underway.

Why North India’s First Nuclear Power Plant in Haryana Is Still Not Ready After 14 Years
Back in 2009-10, the idea of building north India’s first nuclear power plant in Haryana was born. The government chose Gorakhpur village in Fatehabad district as the perfect spot. The project, called the Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana (GHAVP), was supposed to be a big step forward for clean energy in the region.
In January 2014, former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh even laid the foundation stone, marking the official start of the project. The plan was to have the first unit up and running by 2025. But here we are, 14 years later, and the plant is still not finished.
So, what went wrong?
First, there were the usual hurdles: buying land, getting environmental clearances, and talking to local farmers—some of whom weren’t happy about giving up their land. Even after the grand ceremony, actual construction was slow to start because of paperwork, compensation issues, and other red tape.
Between 2014 and 2021, not much happened on the ground. Then, the Covid-19 pandemic hit, causing even more delays. It wasn’t until 2022 that major construction finally began, focusing on the first phase, which includes two reactors that can each generate 700 megawatts of power.
But then, another problem popped up: the soil. The ground at the site turned out to be weaker than expected, with no hard rock underneath. This meant engineers had to come up with new ways to make the ground strong enough to support the heavy equipment. These technical challenges took a lot of time to sort out, pushing the project’s timeline even further.
Now, officials say the first two units should be ready by 2031, with the next two coming a year later. The government and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India are keeping a close eye on the project to make sure things move faster from now on. They’ve also started community programs, like planting trees and supporting local development.
In short, what was supposed to be a quick win for clean energy in north India has turned into a long, drawn-out process. But with construction finally picking up speed, there’s hope that Haryana will soon have its own nuclear power plant—just a few years later than planned.

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