BJD opposes private nuclear plant in Odisha, warns of mass agitation

The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has opposed an alleged move to set up a nuclear power plant in Odisha, accusing the State’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of compromising public safety for corporate interests. The party has also threatened to launch a mass agitation if the government proceeds with the project.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, BJD senior general secretary Lekhashree Samantsinghar claimed that a private company proposed to establish a 3,000 MW nuclear power plant in the state. The allegation comes days after a representative of a private company reportedly met Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister K.V. Singh Deo, who also holds the energy portfolio.

Ms. Samantsinghar argued that nuclear energy is inherently hazardous and poses a serious threat to human life and the environment. She cited historical disasters to underline her concerns, including the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion, and the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan. She noted that the losses from these incidents have not been fully compensated by the respective governments.

The BJD leader further claimed that in most countries, nuclear energy remains under government ownership and control, and no private entity is entrusted with its operation. She alleged that the BJP government is altering this principle by enabling private participation in the sector, thereby disregarding the safety and security of Odisha’s people.

Ms. Samantsinghar pointed to the Nuclear Energy Bill passed by Parliament in December 2025, which she said paved the way for handing over the nuclear sector to private companies. She asserted that private firms have now turned their attention to Odisha. She also noted that India currently has 8.8 GW of nuclear power capacity under government ownership, and that increasing this to 100 GW through private ownership would be extremely dangerous. Matters of national security, she argued, are never entrusted to private organisations.

“Since the formation of the BJP government in Odisha, the state government has been functioning under the directions of the Centre and is unable to take any independent decisions without instructions from Delhi. Acting on the directions of the central government, the state is determined to establish a nuclear power plant in Odisha by compromising the interests of the people,” she alleged.

The BJD urged the state government to refrain from establishing a nuclear power plant that would put the lives of Odisha’s residents at risk. “Otherwise, the Biju Janata Dal would launch a mass agitation to safeguard the interests of the people of the State,” Ms. Samantsinghar told reporters.

The government had not responded to the BJD’s allegations at the time of filing this report. The BJP government in Odisha has not officially confirmed or denied the proposed nuclear plant.

Notably, the central government has defended the Nuclear Energy Bill as a step toward expanding India’s clean energy capacity and reducing carbon emissions. Proponents argue that private participation could accelerate the growth of nuclear power, which is a low-carbon energy source. However, critics, including the BJD, have raised safety and security concerns, as well as questions about the privatisation of a strategic sector.

The controversy comes amid a broader national debate over energy policy and the role of private enterprise in critical infrastructure. While the government has emphasised the need for increased energy production to meet growing demand, opposition parties have cautioned against rushing into such projects without adequate safeguards and public consultation.