Overview
The Nuclear Energy Mission was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 with an allocation of ₹20,000 crore for research, design, development, and deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in India. The mission aims to operationalise at least five indigenously designed SMRs by 2033 and lays the foundation for India’s long-term target of achieving 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047 — up from the current installed capacity of approximately 8.8 GW (as of 2025-26).
The mission marks a transformative shift in India’s nuclear energy policy by enabling private sector participation in nuclear power for the first time, while keeping design, quality assurance, and operations management under the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) within the existing legal and regulatory framework. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is developing three indigenous SMR technologies under this mission.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Announced | Union Budget 2025-26 |
| Budget | ₹20,000 crore |
| Nodal Department | Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) |
| Target | At least 5 indigenously designed SMRs by 2033 |
| Long-term goal | 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047 |
| Current installed capacity | ~8.8 GW (25 reactors across 7 sites) |
| Reactors under construction | 8 (combined capacity ~6,600 MW); 10 more planned (~7,000 MW) |
| Key institution | Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) |
Three Indigenous SMR Projects
The DAE is developing three distinct SMR technologies, each targeting different applications:
1. Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200)
- Capacity: 220 MWe
- Type: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) — scaled down
- Cost: ₹5,960 crore
- Lead site: Tarapur Atomic Power Station, Maharashtra
- Construction timeline: 60-72 months from administrative and financial approval
- Key innovation: Uses indigenously developed ApuRVA (Advanced Purified Reactor Vessel Alloy) for reactor pressure vessels, developed in collaboration with Indian industry
2. Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55)
- Capacity: 55 MWe
- Type: Light Water Reactor
- Cost: ₹7,000 crore (for two units)
- Lead site: Tarapur Atomic Power Station, Maharashtra
- Application: Suitable for remote locations, industrial process heat, desalination
3. High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR)
- Capacity: Up to 5 MWth
- Type: Gas-cooled reactor
- Lead site: Vizag (BARC facility), Andhra Pradesh
- Application: Hydrogen co-generation — produces both electricity and hydrogen through high-temperature electrolysis
- Strategic value: Supports India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission
Private Sector Participation Framework
The Nuclear Energy Mission introduces private sector involvement through a structured framework:
- Private entities provide: Land, cooling water supply, capital investment
- NPCIL handles: Reactor design, quality assurance, operation and maintenance (O&M)
- The arrangement operates within the existing Atomic Energy Act, 1962 — no legislative amendment required
- Private partners participate in setting up Bharat Small Reactors (BSR) and R&D of newer technologies
Technologies Open for Private Partnership
- Setting up Bharat Small Reactors
- R&D of Bharat Small Modular Reactors
- High-temperature gas-cooled reactors (hydrogen co-generation)
- Molten Salt Reactors (thorium utilisation — leveraging India’s vast thorium reserves)
India’s Current Nuclear Power Status
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Operational reactors | 25 (across 7 nuclear power plants) |
| States with nuclear plants | 6 |
| Installed capacity | ~8.8 GW (8,880 MW) |
| Reactor types | 19 PHWRs + 2 BWRs + 2 PWRs + 1 PFBR |
| Reactors under construction | 8 (~6,600 MW); 10 more planned (~7,000 MW) |
| Target by 2031-32 | 22.48 GW |
| Target by 2047 | 100 GW |
| Nuclear share in electricity | ~3% |
Recent Reactor Commissioning
- Rajasthan Unit 7 (700 MWe PHWR): Connected to grid in April 2025
- Rajasthan Unit 8 (700 MWe PHWR): Expected online in 2026
- Kakrapar Unit 4 (700 MWe PHWR): Commissioned in 2024
India’s Three-Stage Nuclear Programme
The SMR mission fits within India’s long-standing three-stage nuclear programme:
- Stage I: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) using natural uranium — the current backbone
- Stage II: Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) using plutonium from Stage I — Prototype FBR at Kalpakkam operational
- Stage III: Thorium-based reactors — India has ~25% of world’s thorium reserves; Molten Salt Reactors under the SMR mission advance this stage
Latest Developments
- Union Budget 2025-26: Nuclear Energy Mission announced with ₹20,000 crore allocation for SMR R&D and deployment.
- March 2026: In a Parliament reply, the government confirmed that BARC is developing the BSMR-200 (₹5,960 crore) and two units of SMR-55 (₹7,000 crore), with Tarapur as the lead site for both.
- HTGR at Vizag: The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (up to 5 MWth) identified for the BARC Vizag site, targeting hydrogen co-generation.
- ApuRVA alloy: BARC indigenously developed the Advanced Purified Reactor Vessel Alloy (ApuRVA) for SMR pressure vessels, and the control rod drive mechanism was also developed in-house.
- April 2025: Rajasthan Unit 7 (700 MWe PHWR) connected to grid, bringing India’s installed nuclear capacity to ~8,880 MW.
- Private sector engagement: DAE initiated consultations with private companies for participation in Bharat Small Reactor projects under the mission’s PPP framework.
Prelims Importance
- Nuclear Energy Mission announced in Union Budget 2025-26 with ₹20,000 crore
- Target: At least 5 indigenous SMRs by 2033; 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047
- Three SMR types: BSMR-200 (220 MWe, ₹5,960 crore), SMR-55 (55 MWe, ₹7,000 crore), HTGR (5 MWth, hydrogen)
- Lead sites: Tarapur (BSMR-200 and SMR-55), Vizag (HTGR)
- India’s current nuclear capacity: ~8.8 GW from 25 reactors across 7 sites in 6 states
- Reactor types in India: 19 PHWRs, 2 BWRs, 2 PWRs, 1 PFBR
- NPCIL handles design and O&M; private sector provides land, water, capital
- ApuRVA — indigenously developed reactor pressure vessel alloy
- India has ~25% of world’s thorium reserves — Molten Salt Reactors leverage this
- Atomic Energy Act, 1962 governs nuclear power; no amendment needed for SMR private partnership
- BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) leads SMR R&D
Mains & Interview Importance
GS Paper 3 — Science & Technology, Economy, Environment:
- Evaluate the significance of the Nuclear Energy Mission in India’s energy security strategy. Can Small Modular Reactors bridge the gap between India’s current 8.8 GW nuclear capacity and the 100 GW target by 2047?
- Discuss the implications of allowing private sector participation in India’s nuclear energy sector. What are the safety, regulatory, and strategic concerns?
- Compare the economics and environmental footprint of SMRs with large nuclear reactors, solar, and wind energy. Is nuclear energy cost-competitive in India’s energy mix?
Interview Angles:
- “India has vast thorium reserves but has been talking about Stage III of the nuclear programme for decades. Does the Nuclear Energy Mission finally bring it closer to reality through Molten Salt Reactors?”
- “The BSMR-200 construction timeline is 60-72 months. Can India realistically have 5 SMRs operational by 2033?”
- “Private participation in nuclear energy raises safety and liability concerns, especially after Fukushima. How does India’s framework address the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010?”
Sources: PIB, DAE, World Nuclear Association