Nuclear Energy Mission and SMR Development Update
The Department of Atomic Energy has provided a detailed update on India's Nuclear Energy Mission following a Rs 20,000 crore budgetary allocation announced in the Union Budget 2025–26. This funding is specifically designated for the design, development, and deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) with the objective of operationalizing at least five indigenous SMRs by 2033.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), a constituent unit of DAE, is leading the development of three distinct SMR designs. The 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200) is an indigenous Pressurized Water Reactor-based power reactor that has received in-principle approval for engineering and construction. Its proposal for Administrative & Financial sanction has been cleared by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and approved by the Empowered Technology Group (ETG), with Tarapur, Maharashtra identified as the approved site.
The 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55), also based on Pressurized Water Reactor design, has similarly received in-principle approval for engineering and construction and has been allocated the Tarapur, Maharashtra site. Additionally, BARC is developing a High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (HTGCR) with capacity up to 5 MWth for generation of process heat, which can be coupled with suitable thermochemical cycles such as copper-chlorine for hydrogen production. The HTGCR has received in-principle approval with BARC, Vizag identified as the proposed site, and siting consent has been obtained along with Terms of Reference for environmental clearances from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
All three SMR designs require 60 to 72 months for establishment after receipt of administrative and financial sanctions. The development leverages Indian industries' expertise in pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs), with majority of equipment within domestic manufacturing capability with BARC's technological handholding. Critical indigenous developments include Advanced Purified Reactor Vessel Alloy (ApuRVA) and technology for forgings for reactor pressure vessels, with reactivity control drive mechanisms already realized and other critical equipment development initiated with domestic industry.
The recently enacted SHANTI 2025 Act (Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Act) proposes enabling legislative reforms to widen participation of both government-owned and private entities in the nuclear energy sector for peaceful purposes. These reforms aim to achieve the ambitious goal of generating 100GW of nuclear power by 2047 for Vikshit Bharat and will come into effect once the SHANTI Act is formally notified.