NPCIL issues proposals to set up small nuclear reactors for captive use

On Tuesday, India's nuclear power operator NPCIL 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, aluminum, 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 to set up 220 MW Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) for captive use," said the statement.

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It would also help these industries secure economic benefits resulting from savings in carbon emission-related taxes, thus increasing the competitiveness of their products in the global markets, the statement said. The government plans to deploy 40-50 of these nuclear reactors over the next decade in partnership with the private sector.

This refers to the 220-megawatt BSR that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in her budget speech in July. "In line with the announcement made in the 2024-25 Union budget, BSRs are intended to be established with private capital, adhering to the existing legal framework and approved business models," stated the NPCIL.

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) refer to a newly developed and upcoming class of land-based nuclear fission reactors, which can be built and fabricated in specialized factories and can be assembled on-site.

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