Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 9, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) has extended the deadline for proposals from companies interested in deploying Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) by six months, moving the submission date to 31 March 2026. BSRs are compact 220 MWe pressurised heavy water reactors designed for captive use, aimed at helping Indian industries achieve decarbonisation targets. The initiative was highlighted by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the July 2024 budget as part of the government’s net-zero strategy in collaboration with the private sector.

The original Request for Proposals (RFP), issued on 31 December 2024, had an initial deadline of 31 March 2025, which was extended twice. In June 2025, NPCIL cited requests from industrial houses seeking additional time to evaluate the reactors’ implementation and associated costs. The latest extension follows an update to the RFP issued on 29 September 2025.

The RFP process has drawn significant interest from Indian industry. A pre-proposal meeting in February 2025 attracted around 70 delegates from 27 public and private companies. As of 29 September, six companies had formally submitted documents to progress in the RFP process: Hindalco Industries Ltd, Jindal Steel & Power Ltd, Tata Power Co, Reliance Industries, JSW Energy Ltd, and Adani Power Ltd.

Hindalco, Jindal Steel, Tata Power, and Reliance have completed the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) process and obtained tentative Bills of Quantities, plant performance data, and operation and maintenance (O&M) cost information. JSW Energy and Adani Power have submitted documents for NDAs, which are under evaluation.

These companies have also proposed potential sites for BSRs and submitted preliminary site reports for 16 locations: five in Gujarat, four in Madhya Pradesh, three in Odisha, two in Andhra Pradesh, and one each in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. NPCIL has requested support from the governments of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha to facilitate site investigations and the allocation of land and water for the reactors.

According to NPCIL, companies requested the extension to allow more time for detailed site assessments and to calculate capital and O&M expenditures. Additional industries have also expressed interest and are in discussions with NPCIL about future participation.

The RFP stipulates that BSR users will bear all capital and operating costs from project initiation through the reactor’s life cycle, including decommissioning. Construction will be carried out by the user under NPCIL supervision, with ownership transferred to NPCIL upon completion. Users will retain rights to the electricity generated for their captive consumption and may sell surplus power to other customers in compliance with regulations.

NPCIL emphasized that as global industries increasingly prioritize green energy, securing carbon-free power is strategically important for maintaining competitiveness and avoiding trade barriers linked to carbon-intensive production. The BSR initiative is a key component of India’s broader clean energy transition.