Wedoany.com Report-Aug. 17, On 12 August, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) signed a memorandum of understanding with Engineers India Limited (EIL) at NPCIL’s Mumbai office for engineering services to develop the conceptual design and engineering of structures, systems, and components of the Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR). The signing ceremony was attended by EIL Chairman and Managing Director Vartika Shukla, NPCIL Chairman and Managing Director Bhuwan Chandra Pathak, and senior management representatives from both organisations.

The signing of the MoU

EIL, headquartered in New Delhi, is a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, specialising in industrial technology, engineering consultancy, and technology licensing. EIL stated: “This partnership supports the Government of India’s vision to accelerate nuclear power, enabling clean, green, and reliable energy to strengthen India’s energy security and is a step towards Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat, targeting a nuclear power capacity of 100 GW by 2047.”

NPCIL, in a LinkedIn post, said: “This occasion marks an important milestone in the journey of development of BSMR-200 jointly by NPCIL and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), a project that represents not only technological advancement but also a step further towards India’s clean, safe and reliable nuclear power capabilities.”

The BSMR-200 is a 200 MWe pressurised heavy water reactor using slightly enriched uranium fuel and incorporating passive safety features. It is being developed by BARC and NPCIL for applications such as powering energy-intensive industries including steel, aluminium, and cement; repurposing retiring thermal power plants; and supplying electricity to remote areas without grid access.

In March 2024, Minister of State Jitendra Singh informed parliamentarians that a 55 MW variant of the BSMR is also under development, intended for remote locations, with the first twin units to be commissioned at a Department of Atomic Energy site by 2033. He said subsequent units could be installed at industrial sites for captive power or at brownfield sites of retired thermal plants.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in the 2024 budget presented in February, announced federal funding to develop at least five Indian-designed SMRs to be operational by 2033, alongside legislative amendments to encourage private sector participation. This initiative forms part of India’s long-term plan to achieve 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047.

Earlier this year, NPCIL invited proposals from Indian industries to finance and construct a planned fleet of 220 MW BSMRs. Companies including Tata Power and the Naveen Jindal Group have expressed interest in establishing SMRs. In February, Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw told the Rajya Sabha that nuclear power is being considered to meet the growing electricity demand of the railway sector.