PARLIAMENT QUESTION: DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL NUCLEAR-POWERED REACTORS

PARLIAMENT QUESTION: DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL NUCLEAR-POWERED REACTORS

During the Union Budget 2025 the Government launched the Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat, which included an outlay of ₹20,000 crore for research and development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).

Currently, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is developing following Small Modular Reactors:

i. Bharat Small Modular Reactors (BSMR-200) for repurposing of retiring thermal power plants & captive power plants for energy intensive industry such as aluminium, steel, cement etc.

ii. Small Modular Reactors (SMR-55) for providing energy for remote as well as off-grid location with objective to decarbonise the energy sector.

iii.  High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor of capacity 5 MWth for hydrogen generation for decarbonisation of transport sector & process industries.

Lead units of reactors are planned to be set up at DAE sites. The subsequent units of these SMRs will be located at the sites offered by the end-user industry in case of captive power plants and at suitable brownfield sites in case of retiring thermal power plants, subject to applicable regulatory approvals.

This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a oral reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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