Lok Sabha Question No. 1766 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-10
Subject: Financial and Operational Structures for SMR Deployment
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Brijmohan Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO -1766

ANSWERED ON 10/12/2025

## FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL STRUCTURES FOR SMR DEPLOYMENT

## 1766.  SHRI BRIJMOHAN AGRAWAL

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-

- (a) the  details  of  specific  financial  and  operational  structures  such  as  PPP  models including BOOT or PPA guarantees being formulated to attract private investment for Small Modular Reactor (SMR) deployment;
- (b) the details of preferred SMR technologies like Light Water or High-Temperature Gas along  with  localization  targets  and  incentives  for  domestic  manufacturing  to  build India's value chain;
- (c) the details of revised Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) protocols for SMR safety  security  and  siting  near  industrial  zones  including  the  measures  to  address public concerns;
- (d) the  details  of  strategies  to  ensure  competitive  Localised  Cost  of  Energy  for  SMRs versus renewables with tariff mechanisms for data centres;
- (e) the  details  of  long-term  plans  for  SMR  waste  management  including  transport guidelines along with the skill programmes projecting workforce needs for next five years;
- (f) the  details  of  leading  PSUs  actively  working  with  the  Ministry  and their  respective achievements so far in this technology; and
- (g) the  details  of  NTPC  Nuclear  cell's  plans  with  Chhattisgarh  &  Madhya  Pradesh  for nuclear project development?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) & (b) Preferred  SMR  technology  is  light  water  reactor  based  pressured  water technology.    Based  on  PWR  technology  Bhabha  Atomic  Research  Centre  (BARC),  a constituent Unit of Department of  Atomic Energy  (DAE)  has initiated design and development of 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200 MWe) and 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55 MWe), with a purpose of;

- a. Repurposing of retiring fossil fuel-based power plants,
- b. Captive plants for energy intensive industries such as steel, cement and process industries.
- c. Off-grid applications for remote locations.

BARC  is  also  developing  up  to  5  MWth  high  temperature  gas  cooled  reactor  for hydrogen  generation.    Gas  cooled  reactor  technology  is  selected  as  the  hydrogen production  requires  high  temperature.    However,  research  and  development  is required for design and development of high temperature materials and reactor.

Most  of  the  critical  equipment  and  components  are  made  in  the  country  for  well proven Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) design.  The industries engaged in manufacturing  of  PHWR  are  likely  to  participate  in  manufacturing  of  critical equipment  and  components  for  SMRs.  Localisation  of  manufacturing  and  supply chain  for  these  SMRs  are  envisaged  in  line  with  the  'Make  in  India'  initiative . Manufacturing of critical equipment and components, such as special steel and heavy forgings for reactor pressure vessel, primary coolant pumps, heat exchangers, control rod drive mechanisms, instruments along with their associated electronics and control systems etc., are within the capability of Indian industries with technical handholding by  BARC.  Further,  participation  of  private  sector/  Indian  industry  will  be  for construction  of  SMRs  through  engineering,  procurement  and  construction  (EPC) contracts.  This  create  complete  domestic  ecosystem  of  manufacturing  and  supply chain.

The technological advancement and know-how developed by Indian industries in the process  can  be  leveraged  to  get  potential  collaboration/  business  opportunities  in Indian and abroad as many countries are planning to develop and deploy SMRs. One of  the  major  incentives  for  the  heavy  industries  from  the  private  sector  can  be  the ownership (as permissible by the extant  Atomic  Energy Act) and guaranteed rights over  the  green  electric  power  generation  by  SMRs.  The  decarbonisation  of  energy incentive industries could be helpful in avoiding the proposed carbon tax on export of goods.

- (c) &(d) Different types / designs of Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) in India are to be sited, designed,  constructed,  commissioned  &  operated  complying  with  the  regulatory requirements of AERB.  AERB safety and regulatory requirements for licensing of NPPs are mostly  technology  neutral.    In  light  of  the  evolving  developments  in  the

fields of SMRs, AERB has conducted review of its existing regulatory requirements and concluded that the same regulatory framework can generally be applied for safety regulation  of  advanced  reactors  as  such  as  SMRs,  except  for  technology  specific aspects for which review may be required when details of proposed sites and design of  specific  SMR  is  submitted  to  AERB.    AERB  also  participates  in  various international  forums  to  keep  itself  abreast  about  the  developments  in  regulation  of SMRs and suitably adopt them when required.

With respect to nuclear security, AERB regulates those engineering aspects of nuclear security which have a bearing on safety, within the main plant boundary of Nuclear Power  Plant  (NPP),  as  per  requirements  specified  in  the  AERB  documents  titled 'Nuclear Security Requirements for Nuclear Power Plants'.  The same approach can also be used for SMRs.

With  respect  to  measures  being  taken  to  address  public  concerns,  AERB  has  an established  public  outreach  program  to  spread  awareness  and  keep  the  public informed  on  radiation  and  nuclear  safety  related  matters.    AERB  views  public outreach as an essential element to build long-lasting trust and confidence with media and public at large.  AERB conducts awareness programs in the vicinity of NPPs and radiation facilities, to engage with public and spread awareness about radiation safety regulation.  AERB publishes its quarterly e-newsletters, annual report and all relevant information related to radiation and nuclear safety matters on its website.  AERB also issues press releases on matters related to nuclear and radiation safety.

- (e) DAE has a comprehensive and internally aligned framework to ensure safe and longterm  management  of  radioactive  waste  generated  from  the  existing  reactors.  Same framework can be used for small modular reactors. Nuclear waste arising from the nuclear power plants and fuel cycle facility will be safely managed/disposed under the provisions  of  'The  Atomic  Energy  Act,  1962',  subsequent  amendments  and  the Atomic Energy (Safe Disposal of Radioactive Wastes) Rules, 1987.

As a waste management philosophy, no waste in any physical form is released/disposed to the  environment unless same is cleared, exempted or excluded from  regulations.  Low  and  intermediate  level  waste  generated  from  operation  and maintenance of a nuclear power plants are managed at plant site itself. These wastes are treated, concentrated, compacted, immobilized in solid like cement and disposed in  specially  constructed  structures  such  as  reinforcement  concrete  trenches  and  tile holes located at the site. The disposal facility is kept under constant surveillance to confirm effective containment of radioactivity present in the disposed waste.

Broad philosophy of nuclear waste management remains same to reduce the overall nuclear waste burden i.e., recovery of useful radioisotopes, if any, volume reduction followed  by  vitrification  of  waste  in  stable  glass  matrix  and  storage  in  engineered facilities  kept  under  surveillance  at  par  with  internationally  accepted  practices. However, in case of SMRs the reprocessing technology is to be re-engineered based on the fuel configuration.

The transportation of radioactive material is as per guidelines stipulated by AERB and will be in line with existing reactors.

- (f) Currently SMRs are in design stage.  So far, only Engineers India Limited and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) have been approached for detailed engineering of BSMR-200.  Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) has been closely associated with BARC for formation of detailed report for BSMR-200.
- (g) National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Group [except Tehri Hydro Development  Corporation  Limited  (THDC)  and  North  Eastern  Electric  Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO)], two MoUs have been signed by NTPC, one with the Government of Madhya Pradesh on 24.02.2025 and another with the Government of Chhattisgarh on 10.03.2025, to collaborate and explore opportunities to develop a project  in  each  state,  with  the  project  capacity  to  be  determined  based  on  water availability, and approval from the Government of India.

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