Nuclear Reactors

India's nuclear capacity will expand sharply to 21,880 MW by 2032 as ongoing and planned PHWR projects come online, with BARC also developing next-generation Small Modular Reactors

The government had announced the Nuclear Energy Mission in the Union Budget 2025-26, emphasising the development and deployment of five indigenous SMRs by 2033 with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore

The move holds out potential to unlock long-stalled private and foreign investment in the nuclear industry

Acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy sees the plan to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon as a new space race, especially given China's and Russia's growing ambitions in space

The government may change nuclear laws to let private companies run plants, as it works on rules and targets 100 GW of clean energy from nuclear power by the year 2047

India is developing three different types of small modular reactors (SMRs), including one dedicated to the production of hydrogen, mostly in the form of captive plants for energy-intensive industries, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Singh said the three types of SMRs -- 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR), 55 MWe SMR and 5 MWth High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor -- for the production of hydrogen are being designed and developed indigenously. "In-principle approval has been obtained for the construction of these demonstration reactors. These demonstration reactors are likely to be constructed in 60 to 72 months after receipt of administrative sanction of projects," he said. The minister said the lead units of BSMR and SMR are planned to be installed at Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) sites in collaboration with Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). "An estimate prepared based on the experience of setting

India's nuclear regulator AERB has granted operation license for two indigenously developed 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors at the Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS) in Gujarat. The KAPS-3 reactor was commissioned at full power in August 2023, while the KAPS-4 unit followed the same month a year later. "The Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has concluded the Design and Commissioning Safety Reviews and issued the License for Operation of Units 3 and 4 of KAPS-3&4, the country's first 700 MWe indigenous Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs)," a statement from the regulator said. Since the 700 MW reactor was the first of its kind, the licensing process involved rigorous multi-tiered safety reviews and assessment of the reactor design, covering the entire life cycle in multiple stages from siting, construction to commissioning at full-power. The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) received the License for Operation for KAPS 3&4 from the AERB for a ..

Israeli airstrikes killed top Iranian military leaders, including the IRGC chief, in a major escalation that struck Tehran and other cities, damaging Iran's defence and nuclear assets

The effort is a bid to meet a coming surge in electricity demand and help the US reclaim its edge in nuclear energy

ITER said late on Wednesday that the final component of the system the central solenoid had been completed and tested by the United State

Hyderabad-based Megha Engineering makes its nuclear debut with NPCIL's largest-ever order, bagging a ₹12,800-crore deal to build two reactors in Karnataka

India's first prototype fast-breeder reactor in Tamil Nadu's Kalpakkam is expected to be commissioned next year, nearly two years after it got the go-ahead from the nuclear regulator, officials have said. The commissioning of the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR) will mark the second stage of India's three-stage nuclear programme that aims to recycle spent fuel to reduce the inventory of radioactive waste. The PFBR being developed in Kalpakkam is the first-of-its-kind nuclear reactor to use plutonium-based mixed oxide as fuel and liquid sodium as coolant. It will also utilise the spent fuel of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors, which form the mainstay of nuclear power in India at present. While the state-run Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) operates nuclear power plants in the country, the PFBR in Kalpakkam is being developed by the Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam (BHAVINI). "BHAVINI's 500 MW PFBR is in the advanced stage of integrated commissioning, with ...

Amendments to the Atomic Energy Act are in progress to enable private sector involvement in nuclear energy sector, with strict oversight on the import, use, and disposal of nuclear fuel

The partner should have clearance from concerned authorities in their country of origin as well as comply with Indian policies, including having or getting a license for the offered technology

India and France on Wednesday expressed an intent to jointly develop modern nuclear reactors, emphasising that nuclear power was crucial for energy security and transition to a low-carbon economy. The two countries signed a letter of intent on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs), according to a joint statement issued after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. "Prime Minister Modi and President Macron stressed that nuclear energy is an essential part of the energy mix for strengthening energy security and transitioning towards a low-carbon economy," according to the statement. SMRs are compact nuclear fission reactors that can be manufactured in factories and then installed elsewhere. They typically have a smaller capacity than conventional nuclear reactors. The two leaders also acknowledged the strong civil nuclear ties between India and France and efforts in cooperation on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, ..

Ambassador Eric Garcetti said leaders from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, as well as opposition parties were interested in looking for a "way forward" on the matter

Nuclear power has been in the news with NTPC announcing a partnership with the US-based Clean Core Thorium Energy (CCTE) to develop thorium-based fuel for use in nuclear reactors

India's nuclear power operator NPCIL on Tuesday invited proposals from the industry to set up 220 MW Bharat Small Reactors for captive use, replacing the existing coal-fired thermal power plants used by the steel, aluminium, copper and cement industries. Bharat Small Reactors are 220 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR) with an impeccable safety and excellent performance record, which are compact and tailored for captive use, according to a statement from the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). "NPCIL has today invited Request for Proposals (RFP) from visionary Indian industries for setting up 220 MW Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) for captive use," said the statement. The nuclear power operator said BSRs can provide a sustainable solution for decarbonization of hard-to-abate industries. It would also help these industries secure economic benefits resulting from savings in carbon emission related taxes, thus increasing competitiveness of their products in the ..

More enrichment capacity means Iran can enrich uranium more quickly, potentially increasing the nuclear proliferation risk

A Japanese nuclear reactor that restarted last week for the first time in more than 13 years after it had survived a massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami that badly damaged the nearby Fukushima nuclear plant was shut down again Monday due to an equipment problem, its operator said. The No. 2 reactor at the Onagawa nuclear power plant on Japan's northern coast was put back online on Oct. 29 and had been expected to start generating power in early November. But it had to be shut down again five days after its restart due to a glitch that occurred Sunday in a device related to neutron data inside the reactor, plant operator Tohoku Electric Power Co. said. The reactor was operating normally and there was no release of radiation into the environment, Tohoku Electric said. The utility said it decided to shut it down to re-examine equipment to address residents' safety concerns. No new date for a restart was given. The reactor is one of three at the Onagawa plant, which is 100 kilometers (