Small modular reactor
Also called: SMR, Bharat Small Reactor · Topic: Energy Resources of India: Conventional and Non-conventional · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
A small modular reactor (SMR) is a nuclear reactor of up to about 300 MWe. Most of it is made as ready-made parts (modules) in a factory, and the parts are then put together at the site. A normal big plant is built piece by piece on the spot. SMRs are smaller, so they can be placed in more locations. India's Nuclear Energy Mission (Budget 2025-26) sets aside ₹20,000 crore for SMRs. It aims for at least five Indian-designed SMRs by 2033 (verify current).
Example
India is building Bharat Small Reactors. They are based on its proven 220 MWe pressurised heavy water reactor design, which already runs at stations such as Rawatbhata (Rajasthan) and Narora (Uttar Pradesh).
Don't confuse with
- Large pressurised heavy water reactor: a full-size unit such as the 700 MWe reactors at Kakrapar, Gujarat (2023). It is built mostly on site, not from factory modules.
- Fast breeder reactor: what sets it apart is its fuel and purpose, not its size. It runs on plutonium and is Stage 2 of the three-stage programme.
Related concepts
- Nuclear energy
- Uranium
- Thorium
- Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
- Tarapur Atomic Power Station
- Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant
- Jaitapur nuclear project
- Three-stage nuclear power programme
- Pressurised heavy water reactor
- Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor