India is set to take a major step in expanding its nuclear power programme, with plans to invite bids for the 220 MW Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR-200), within the next three to six months.
Officials told ET that the project is a key part of the country’s transition to clean energy.Foreign companies will be allowed to participate in the bidding process, but only through relationships with local partners, one official said. The reactor design will be standardized, and the first unit is expected to serve as a model for future facilities.“A cost of around Rs 30 crore per MW has been approved for the BSMR-200 project as a pilot project,” another official told the financial daily.
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BSMR-200 is jointly developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). The total development and construction cost is estimated at Rs 5,960 crore, which will be funded through the Nuclear Power Mission. After approvals are obtained, construction is expected to take between 60 and 72 months.Officials said inter-ministerial consultations are currently underway to finalize the tender details.
The move comes in the wake of opening up the nuclear sector to private investment following the enactment of the Nuclear Power and Sustainable Development to Transform India (SHANTI) Act in December 2025.“The Cabinet Economic Affairs Committee will take the final decision on the proposal,” the official said, adding that local companies capable of implementing the project have already been identified on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis.The Union Budget has already allocated Rs 20,000 crore for development of at least five indigenously designed and operational small modular reactors by 2033 under the Nuclear Power Mission.India has also set an ambitious target of reaching 100 GW of nuclear power capacity by 2047, along with efforts to boost domestic manufacturing and technology development in the sector.In a new milestone for the nuclear programme, the prototype of India’s fast breeder reactor reached criticality this month.