“We will position Andhra Pradesh as a reliable partner in the nuclear economy!”
At the US Executive Nuclear Mission to India conference held in New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh stated that the state aims to emerge as a trusted global partner in the future nuclear economy.
The conference was jointly organized by the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF). USISPF Managing Director Nivedita Mehra welcomed the gathering, while NEI President & CEO Maria Korsnick also attended.
Speaking at the event, Lokesh highlighted that advanced nuclear technologies such as Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and next-generation reactor systems offer vast opportunities in modular manufacturing, supply chain distribution, and scalable deployment. He emphasized that India’s engineering talent, manufacturing scale, and cost competitiveness, combined with Andhra Pradesh’s strong industrial infrastructure, ports, and logistics connectivity, create a historic opportunity.
Andhra Pradesh’s Natural Advantages
The state has a long coastline, strong port infrastructure, extensive industrial corridors, and robust power infrastructure. With a rapidly growing technology ecosystem and fast-paced industrialization, Andhra Pradesh is well-positioned to support nuclear ecosystem development through global partnerships, research collaborations, workforce skilling, and supply chain expansion.
Energy Security is a Top Priority
Lokesh emphasized that energy security is critical, not just for India but for the global energy transition. Countries are striving to balance economic growth, industrial expansion, digital transformation, and decarbonization. Meeting climate commitments while powering the AI era with affordable and reliable energy has become a major challenge.
Focus on Energy Transition
Andhra Pradesh is building new industrial corridors and expanding electronics manufacturing. The state aims to invest nearly ₹10 lakh crore in renewable energy, storage, green hydrogen, transmission infrastructure, manufacturing ecosystems, and grid modernization under its integrated clean energy policy.
Rising Power Demand in the Future
With the rapid growth of AI and hyperscale data centers, electricity demand is surging. A single AI-native data center can consume as much power as a mid-sized town. Andhra Pradesh is already developing one of India’s largest data center ecosystems, especially in Visakhapatnam, attracting global investments.
Manufacturing Ecosystem Around Data Centers
The state’s vision goes beyond hosting data centers. It aims to build a full manufacturing ecosystem including cooling systems, power electronics, transformers, battery storage supply chains, and semiconductor-linked industries. Skill development for AI infrastructure technicians and energy engineers is also a priority.
Participation in Nuclear Supply Chain
Lokesh stressed that nuclear energy should be viewed as a complete industrial ecosystem. Andhra Pradesh aims not only to host nuclear assets but also to participate in the entire nuclear value chain—manufacturing components, developing specialized materials, building engineering capabilities, and supporting export-oriented industrial ecosystems.
