NPCIL to Operate Small Nuclear Plants for Private Companies

09 Oct 2024

For the first time, the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) will operate a 220 MW small nuclear plant for private players who will provide both funds and land for the project, a senior government official said. Development on this front is likely by the end of this year or early 2025, the official said in an interaction.

"The private company will supply the funding and land for the nuclear plant, while NPCIL will oversee its management," the official stated. Since the plant will be managed and operated by NPCIL, a public sector entity under the Department of Atomic Energy, there will be no requirement to amend the Atomic Energy Act. Another official noted that the nuclear energy sector is exclusively accessible to government and public sector undertakings as stipulated by the Atomic Energy Act.

These 220 MW reactors, referred to as 'Bharat Small Reactors,' are currently under research at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), according to official sources. India, having long mastered pressurised heavy water reactor (PHWR) technology, is now likely to utilise it for constructing smaller reactors, according to an official.

The official further explained that with the smaller reactors, the exclusion zone can be minimised to 500 meters, compared to the current range of 1 to 1.5 kilometers. The initial emphasis will be on energy-intensive sectors like steel production. Many private companies currently operate their own captive plants, and in the future, these smaller reactors could serve as replacements.