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India to develop 5 small nuclear reactors by 2033
India aims to operationalise at least five indigenous small modular reactors (SMRs) by 2033, Union Minister Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is designing the…
The Story in Brief
India aims to operationalise at least five indigenous small modular reactors (SMRs) by 2033, Union Minister Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre is designing the 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200) and a 55 MWe SMR-55 for power generation, plus a 5 MW high temperature reactor for hydrogen production. The government's two-pronged approach includes deploying large 700 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors at new sites and SMRs at retiring fossil-fuel plants, captive industrial units and remote locations.
India continues work on the second stage of its nuclear programme through sodium-cooled fast breeder reactors and closed fuel-cycle facilities at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research. The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act, 2025 now allows wider public and private participation in the sector. India has already used thorium oxide pellets in operating PHWRs and reprocessed irradiated thorium to fuel the KAMINI reactor at Kalpakkam.
The Indian Opinion
The government's 2033 SMR target sounds ambitious, but questions remain about execution. BARC is still designing the 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor and a 55 MWe unit, with no commercial deployment yet. The real test will be whether the planned brownfield conversions of retiring coal plants actually happen on time. Private-sector enthusiasm under the new SHANTI Act depends on clear liability rules. Watch for the first BSMR-200 construction start date as the real milestone.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
