Small Modular Nuclear Reactor: The concept design stage of India’s proposed Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR) has been completed and is awaiting approval.
o Small: Fraction of the size of conventional reactors, requiring less space.
o Modular: Factory-assembled units transported to installation sites.
o Reactors: Harness nuclear fission to generate heat and produce energy.
o Technology: Modified versions of India’s existing Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR).
o Fuel: Powered by slightly enriched uranium.
o Developers: Jointly designed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL).
o Manufacturing: Equipment and components sourced from indigenous nuclear vendors developed by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
o Applications: Provides captive power for energy-intensive industries like steel, aluminium, and cement → Supplies electricity to remote locations → Can be set up by repurposing decommissioned thermal power plants.