Under the Nuclear Energy Mission announced in the Union Budget 2025–26, a total budgetary provision of ₹20,000 crore has been made for the research, design, development, and deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) has undertaken design and development works on SMRs namely,

1. 1. 220 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200),
   2. 55 MWe Small Modular Reactor (SMR-55), and
   3. Up to 5 MWth High temperature gas cooled reactor meant for hydrogen generation. The lead units of these SMRs will be established at DAE sites for technology demonstration. The estimated utilisation of the allocated funds by BARC toward setting up SMRs is mentioned below:

The progress of these SMRs is as follows;

1. BSMR-200: AEC in-principle approval has been received for the project. Proposal for administrative & financial sanction is cleared by Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) for submission of the proposal to the Cabinet Committee.
2. SMR-55: In-principle approval has been received for the project.
3. HTGCR: In-principle approval has been received for the project. Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared. Siting consent has been received and Terms of Reference (ToR) for obtaining environmental clearances has been received from Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

Lead units of these SMRs will be constructed by DAE at its existing sites. So far, PSUs like Engineers India Limited and Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL) have been contacted for detailed engineering of SMRs.

Tarapur Atomic Power Station site, Maharashtra has been identified for lead units of BSMR-200 and SMR-55 whereas Vizag, Andhra Pradesh site of BARC is identified for High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor (HTGCR).

At present no such proposal is received in Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR) is being jointly designed and developed by BARC and Nuclear power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). Estimated time for construction of BSMR is 60 to 72 months from receipt of administrative & financial approval.

This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

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NKR/AK