India has completed the concept design stage of the Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR), a project that is awaiting approval. Once sanctioned, the construction of the reactor is expected to take between 60 to 72 months, as stated by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in a response to a parliamentary query on March 12, 2025.

The BSMR is a modified version of India's existing Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) with a capacity of 200 MW. It will be fuelled by slightly enriched uranium and is being jointly developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).

The manufacturing and delivery of equipment will be handled by indigenous nuclear vendors, while critical components like low alloy steel forgings will be procured from domestic private vendors.

These reactors are designed to provide captive power to energy-intensive industries such as steel, aluminium, and cement. They can also be set up in repurposed thermal power plants or remote locations, offering a flexible deployment option.

The BSMR technology is based on globally proven pressurized water reactor technology, featuring passive safety features and engineered safety systems to ensure nuclear safety during accidents. Additionally, provisions are made for handling and storing spent fuel in-situ.

In addition to the BSMR, India is also developing a smaller variant, the Bharat Small Reactor (BSR), with a capacity of 55 MW. The first two lead units of this variant are planned to be built at a Department of Atomic Energy site by 2033.

The government has allocated ₹20,000 crore for the development and deployment of small modular reactors, aiming to operationalize at least five indigenously developed SMRs by 2033.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy to expand India's nuclear energy capacity to 100 GW by 2047, with current capacity standing at about 8.1 GW.

Agencies