Big Corporates Queue Up for Small Nuclear Reactors

India's ambitious plan to set up small nuclear reactors—called Bharat small reactors or BSRs—for captive industrial use is off to a promising start with leading companies lining up to participate, according to two people aware of the development.

- Utpal Bhaskar

NEW DELHI:

Reliance Industries, Adani Group, Indian Railways, Greenko, Vedanta, HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL), JSW Group, and Hindalco Industries are among those who have responded to a request for proposal (RFP) floated by state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) for setting up two units of 220-MWe pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) BSRs, the people cited above said on condition of anonymity. PHWR is a type of nuclear reactor that uses heavy water both as a coolant and a moderator.

The strategic move is aimed at helping the country achieve a net-zero carbon emission goal by 2070. While India currently has an installed nuclear power generation capacity of 8.78 gigawatt (GW), the target is to develop 22.48GW by 2030 and 100GW by 2047.