India currently operates 25 nuclear reactors with a total power generation capacity of 8,880 megawatts (MW). Union Minister Jitendra Singh recently informed the Rajya Sabha that the country is now working on developing three different types of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). These include a 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR), a 55 MWe SMR, and a 5 MWth High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor specifically aimed at hydrogen production. These reactors are mostly being designed for use as captive power plants in industries that consume a lot of energy.
According to the minister, the SMRs are being developed entirely within India, with in-principle approval already granted for constructing these demonstration models. The expected timeline for building these demonstration reactors is between 60 to 72 months after the government gives final administrative approval.
The first units of the BSMR and the 55 MWe SMR are planned to be installed at existing sites operated by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), in collaboration with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). Based on prior experience with building 220 MWe reactors, the estimated cost of the first 200 MWe BSMR unit is around ₹5,750 crore.
The 5 MWth High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor is being developed with the specific purpose of generating hydrogen. It will be linked to advanced hydrogen production processes such as the Copper-Chloride (Cu-Cl) and Iodine-Sulphur (I-S) thermochemical cycles. Both these methods have already been successfully developed and demonstrated by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
Minister Singh assured that the country already has the technological know-how required to build these reactors. Most of the necessary equipment can be manufactured domestically, with the Department of Atomic Energy providing technological support. These SMRs are being designed not only as captive power sources but also to repurpose old fossil fuel-based power plants. A key goal is to support hydrogen production for use in the transport sector and to contribute to India's broader decarbonisation efforts.
In addition to the 25 existing reactors, three more reactors—two 700 MWe units at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station (KAPS 3 and 4) and one 700 MWe unit at Rajasthan Atomic Power Project (RAPP-7)—have recently become operational. Currently, there are also 18 new reactors under construction with a combined capacity of 13,600 MW. This includes the 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor being developed by BHAVINI. Once all these projects are completed, India's total nuclear power generation capacity is expected to rise to 22,480 MW.
