India and the US have fast-tracked talks to set up six nuclear reactors as part of the Kovvada nuclear project in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district by American power giant Westinghouse Electric Company (WEC).
The two countries are also in talks for jointly developing next-generation, small-modular reactor technologies for the domestic market and for export.
About Small-modular reactors
- Small-modular reactors are advanced nuclear rea tors that have a capacity of up to 300 MW per unit, which is about one-third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors.
- It can be factory-assembled and transported as a unit to a location for installation. Besides offering significant savings in cost and construction time.
- SMRs are simpler and safer compared to larger nuclear plants.
- SMRs also operate longer without the need for refuelling. While traditional nuclear plants require refuelling in 1 to 2 years, SMRs need refuelling every 3 to 7 years.
- There are more than 70 SMR designs under development in 17 countries. Several countries have already invested heavily in SMR technology.
- Recently the United State Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the design of NuScale Power company for a plant of 600 MW capacity consisting of 12 modules of 50 MW SMRs. A few of them are expected to be commissioned before 2030.
- In Russia, an SMR, named Akademik Lomonosov, having a capacity to produce 77 MW power, was commissioned as early as 2019.
- Rosatom of Russia is also building a reactor based on heavy metal coolant with a 100 MW capacity.
- Recently, China commissioned a high-temperature gas-cooled modular pebble bed demonstration SMR.
