PARLIAMENT QUESTION: NUCLEAR ENERGY MISSION FOR VIKSIT BHARAT

Key Highlights:

• The Nuclear Energy Mission (NEM) aims to achieve 100 GWe nuclear power generation capacity by 2047 to support Viksit Bharat and net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• The mission targets developing and operationalizing at least five indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2033.
• The SHANTI Act, 2025 has been enacted to facilitate the NEM and open the nuclear energy sector to private participation.
• BARC is designing indigenous SMRs including BSMR-200 (220 MWe), SMR-55 (55 MWe), and HTGCR (up to 5 MWth) for hydrogen production.
• India's current nuclear power capacity of 8.78 GW is projected to reach approximately 22 GW by 2031-32.

Detailed Insights:

• The NEM was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, setting an ambitious target for nuclear energy expansion.
• The SHANTI Act, 2025 provides the legislative framework for the large-scale expansion of the nuclear power program.
• The roadmap envisages NPCIL setting up 32 GW beyond 2032, contributing to a total of about 54 GW.
• The remaining 46 GW capacity is expected from other Public Sector Enterprises, State Governments, and the Private sector through various models.
• BSMR-200 and SMR-55 are based on Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) designs, with Tarapur, Maharashtra, approved as their site.
• The HTGCR is being designed as a nuclear heat source for thermochemical cycles, such as the copper-chlorine cycle, for hydrogen production.
• The proposed site for the HTGCR is BARC, Vizag, with siting consent already received.
• The SHANTI Act also establishes the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) as a statutory body to ensure independent regulatory oversight.
• India maintains robust nuclear safety and security systems, with the highest priority accorded to all aspects from siting to operation.
• Nuclear waste management adheres to stringent regulatory standards and guidelines, including the Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Viksit Bharat: A vision for India to become a developed nation by 2047, encompassing economic growth, social progress, and environmental sustainability.
• Small Modular Reactors (SMRs): Advanced nuclear reactors that are smaller in size and power output than conventional reactors, designed for modular construction and deployment.
• Net-zero carbon emissions: Achieving a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.
• Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB): An independent regulatory body responsible for ensuring safety in the use of atomic energy in India.