BARC develops small modular reactors to expand India's nuclear

India's SMRs will provide captive power for energy-intensive industries like steel and aluminum.

Bhabha Atomic Research Centre has initiated design and development works for small modular reactors (SMR) in line with the efforts to expand India’s nuclear energy capacity.

According to the Department of Atomic Energy, the SMRs being developed are the 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), the 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55), and
up to 5 MWth high-temperature gas-cooled reactor meant for hydrogen generation.

“BSMR-200 and SMR-55 can be deployed as captive power plants for energy-intensive industries such as aluminium, steel, meta,l etc., repurposing of retiring fossil fuel-based power plants and for providing energy for remote as well as off-grid locations,” the department said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the hydrogen produced from high-temperature gas-cooled reactors can be utilised as a clean fuel in the transport sector and process industries. Thus, these SMRs are positioned as key contributors for decarbonisation of power, energy-intensive industries and the transport sector and for clean energy generation.

The department said India’s present nuclear power capacity is expected to increase from 8,780 MW (excluding RAPS-1) to 9,480 MW by 2025 to 2026. The country aims for 100 GW by 2047.