NTPC aims to build small nuclear reactors to replace old coal plants

India's NTPC is exploring the possibility of building small modular reactors to replace its older thermal power plants, according to a tender document, the first such proposal since the country moved to open its much-guarded nuclear sector. 

The state-run company, India's top power producer, has called for consultants to run feasibility tests for small modular reactors (SMR), which have simpler designs than large nuclear plants and can be scaled up to meet demand. 

NTPC mainly runs coal-fired plants and wants to identify ones that can be retired in the next five years, preferably replaced by SMRs, according to the tender on Monday. 

Reuters had reported in February that the company was in talks with foreign firms, including those from Russia and the US, to build SMRs. Its current capacity, including through its joint ventures, is about 63 gigawatts (GW) of coal power. 

In early February, India said it would amend its nuclear liability law to boost foreign and private investments, aiming for at least 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047 from about 8 GW now, all of which is operated by state-run Nuclear Power Corp of India. 

While companies such as Tata Power have expressed interest in building SMRs, NTPC is the first to issue a tender.

NTPC also plans to build large nuclear reactors with about 15 GW combined capacity. It has started work on two 2.6 GW plants.  (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)