PARLIAMENT QUESTION: PROGRESS UNDER NUCLEAR ENERGY MISSION

The Nuclear Energy Mission (NEM), announced in the Union Budget 2025‑26, targets 100 GWe nuclear capacity by 2047 and the development of at least five indigenous Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2033. BARC is designing three SMRs – the 220 MWe BSMR‑200 (PWR), the 55 MWe SMR‑55 (PWR), and a 5 MWth High‑Temperature Gas‑Cooled Reactor (HTGCR) for hydrogen production. In‑principle approvals for engineering and construction have been received for all three, with Tarapur, Maharashtra approved as the site for BSMR‑200 and SMR‑55, and BARC Vizag for HTGCR. The SHANTI Act‑2025 opens the nuclear sector to private participation, establishes the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board as a statutory body, and aims to enhance safety, regulatory oversight, and indigenous technology development.