The Union Budget 2024-25 has proposed a partnership between the government and the private sector to set up Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) for nuclear power and for research and development in small modular reactors with an aim to build indigenous technologies in the segment.
- The budget announcement marks a significant departure from the previous stance governed by the Atomic Energy Act of 1962, which restricted private sector participation in nuclear energy generation.
About Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs)
- Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) are basically nuclear energy reactors.
- The ‘Bharat Small Reactor’ is related to Small modular reactors (SMRs) but is also different.
- At the Madras Atomic Power Station in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, India has been operating two nuclear power facilities of 220 MW each for nearly 40 years. One of these reactors is currently undergoing repairs. The other is to become the first Bharat Small Reactor (BSR). This reactor will be re-engineered to incorporate additional safety features.
- A reactor with output lower than 300 MW is considered ‘small’. The purpose of this exercise is to turn this “proven” reactor into a small nuclear power facility.
- Bharat Small Reactors are planned to be set up closer to their sites of consumption, especially facilities like steelmaking that require captive power generation and are also in desperate need of decarbonising.
Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)
- Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are smaller reactors that can be factory-built, unlike conventional nuclear reactors that are built on-site.
- They have a power capacity of up to 300 megawatts (MW) per unit, about a third of the capacity of traditional nuclear reactors. Being a mobile and agile technology, they can be set up at locations unsuitable for larger plants.
- Deploying Small Modular Reactors across the country especially in locations not suitable for large nuclear plants, can produce large amount of low-carbon electricity.
- In order to move away from fossil fuel consumption, SMRs can be installed and operated for repurposing the aging fossil fuel-based power plants.
- Their modular nature allows for phased construction and scalability, adapting to evolving energy needs with minimal environmental impact.
- Since, Bharat Small Reactor is a nuclear reactor that uses nuclear fission to produce energy, hence controlling the nuclear reactions is crucial for safety.
- Special materials and systems are used to make sure the reactions happen at the right pace and temperature. This prevents the reactor from overheating or releasing too much energy at once.
(Sources: The Hindu and others)
