Industry Odisha Bureau, Jul 31: Aditya Birla Group company Hindalco has reportedly been the sole bidder for building Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)’s 220 MW nuclear reactors under India’s Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) scheme that aims to develop compact nuclear reactors in India enhancing the country’s nuclear energy capabilities through public-private partnerships.
Media reports stated that, “NPCIL floated a Request For Proposals (RFP) in December 2024 inviting large industrial power users to co-develop 220 MW Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) for captive electricity generation, while a pre-proposal meeting in February 2025 drew represent atives from 27 companies. Besides, NPCIL had received around 700 queries from prospective participants by April 2025. Even though the submission deadline was initially set for March 2025, it was extended multiple times before finally closing on March 31, 2026. Ultimately, the end of the process found Hindalco the only large private Indian company to have submitted a proposal, while its other Indian counterparts dragged their feet despite having evinced keenness initially.”
Elucidationg further on the BSRs scheme arrangement, media reports also stated that, “If the pact is formally inked between Hindalco and NPCIL, Hindalco would provide the land, cooling water and funding for the project, while NPCIL would design the reactors, oversee quality assurance, and would also be responsible for construction, operations and maintenance. Once the construction is complete, ownership of the plants is transferred to NPCIL for a nominal Re 1 each. NPCIL would then operate the reactors on behalf of Hindalco. In return, Hindalco would receive virtually all of the electricity produced by the reactors after its plants’ own consumption. In a nutshell, Hindalco would fully finance the project, but would leave ownership and operation to the Government of India, while securing decades of dedicated power in return.”
Notably, “Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs) are a type of Small Modular Reactor (SMR) designed specifically for India’s energy needs. These reactors are compact, factory-built nuclear reactors with a power capacity of up to 300 MW. The initiative is part of India’s broader strategy to increase its nuclear energy contribution, which currently stands at 1.6% of the total energy mix. The BSRs will be based on India’s existing Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) technology, which has a proven track record with 16 operational units in the country.”
