Recently there was a news quoting a statement from Indian Minister for Atomic energy that “the role of the private sector needs to be extensively explored in the development of Small Module Reactor technology.” This would help fasten the installation of nuclear power and also help achieve decarbonisation targets. In my book titled, The Saga of Atomic Energy in India, I had pointed that for a large nuclear power program, privatisation is an essential step. On the face of it, this is a welcome move.
Two decades back, there was an Indo-US agreement on opening up of nuclear commerce. The ambitious program announced by DAE was for installing 63,000MW by 2032 through importing nuclear reactors from USA and France, in addition to the 6 Kudankulam reactors from Russia. But for Kudankulam, the other imports were never realized due to various reasons.
When the dream of importing reactors did not materialize, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd(NPCIL) promised to install a fleet of indigenous 700 MW reactor. The target was revised to 23,000 MW by 2030. The procurement of heavy components like pressure vessels and steam generators on a fleet mode for 4 reactors were initiated from various local manufacturers like L&T, BHEL… However technical problem arose right at the first unit. And of the 4, Kakrapara 3 has reached commercial operation recently only and connected to the grid. Going by the press statements, NPCIL did not consider the delay as any obstacle of consequence though no details were available.
Fast reactors are no longer the way
India had futuristic plans for using the abundant thorium resources in the country to supply power using fast reactors. This led to start of construction of a 500 MW Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR). The sodium coolant technology for this was inducted through the successful construction and operation of a 15 MW Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) in Kalpakkam for the last 30 years and the necessary plutonium mixed oxide fuel was also developed and manufactured. But repeated postponement of commissioning of the PFBR has raised doubts. Though it is understandable, considering that this complex technology has not reached commercial viability anywhere in the world. In the past, power from fast reactors were reckoned in the future of nuclear power in India. But now it is not counted in recent announcements.
A cluster of SMRs!
It is in this context we have to view the recent announcement also. It lacks in detail to figure out the plan or analyse what the government is thinking. These Small Modular Reactors (SMR) were propounded by Western countries, in the aftermath of Fukushima accident, to overcome fuel cooling problem and to avoid major accidents by keeping the power low. SMRs operate in the range of 15 to 300 MW depending on the application. Further, it comes as a modular concept, where the SMR is fabricated centrally and assembled on site. This way the construction cost and time can be reduced. SMRs are considered ideal for dedicated use, such as providing power in distant locations, in hydrogen production, in providing process heat, augmenting interrupted nature of renewable sources of power like solar power and such applications.
In my book I have proposed that these reactors could also be used in clusters, to set up huge power stations with the advantage of uninterrupted power supply by taking individual units for maintenance and refueling one by one.
77 SMRs to meet our targets!
Lot of developmental work is being done around the world on various nuclear reactor concepts. SMR projects have not reached operational commercial status anywhere. Thus, it is unclear if we should plan the future of our nuclear power based on SMRs. There are no suppliers as of now and most of the current designs run on enriched fuel that would have to be imported. It may also be added that the dozen of earlier PHWRs of 220 MW developed by India and in operation now, belong to this category in terms of power, though definitely not of modular design! It might even be feasible to adopt the indigenous technology to modular mode of construction to achieve quick results. If that route is found optimum, necessary developmental work needs to be initiated on priority basis.
Further nuclear power planners should keep in mind that an analysis of the scenario clearly shows that importing SMRs, even if available, may not be a solution to quickly ramp up installed nuclear power capacity. Just for the planned capacity addition of 23000 MW we need at least 77 SMRs. That would be a challenge to import. Further finding suitable sites for setting up nuclear power stations in India is beset with multifarious clearances. That is precisely the reason we stopped setting up our successful 220 MW reactors and embarked on setting up units of 700 MW capacity.
Ideally if we have to ramp up nuclear power quickly, we need PWRs of 1000 to 1500 MW capacity. Unfortunately, we are neither able to import them nor develop these indigenously.
The future of nuclear power is thus in a molten state and it is of paramount importance to work out a realistic, time bound plan on priority basis to quickly ramp up the installed nuclear power to a decent share of ten percent.
