Brief Context
Context India is exploring the use of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to meet the surging electricity demand from AI-driven and data-intensive data centres. Rising Power Demand from Data Centres The demand for data centres in India is being driven by the need for data storage due to India’s Digital India push, data-localisation policies, expanding internet users and the 5G rollout which is expected to enable adoption of data intensive technologies such as IoTs and AI. Global electricity supplied t
Source Content
Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology
Context
- India is exploring the use of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to meet the surging electricity demand from AI-driven and data-intensive data centres.
Rising Power Demand from Data Centres
- The demand for data centres in India is being driven by the need for data storage due to India’s Digital India push, data-localisation policies, expanding internet users and the 5G rollout which is expected to enable adoption of data intensive technologies such as IoTs and AI.
- Global electricity supplied to data centres is projected to rise from ~460 TWh in 2024 to over 1,000 TWh by 2030 and to about 1,300 TWh by 2035.
- Power Demand by Data Centres: AI workloads use large numbers of Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) with individual racks consuming 80-150 KW compared to 15-20 KW for traditional enterprise servers.
- This computational intensity drives an insatiable demand for electricity, making AI the most significant driver of increased energy consumption within the data centre sector.
- This rising demand has led major tech companies like Google and Microsoft to turn to nuclear power solutions for reliable and carbon-free energy.
Need for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)
- AI-driven data centres need sustainable and clean energy solutions to meet their rapidly rising power demand.
- While renewable energy has been the first choice for companies, it comes with inherent challenges of intermittency and inadequate storage. Here Nuclear power offers a viable solution by providing a clean, round-the-clock power supply.
- SMRs are preferred because they combine enhanced safety through flexibility and scalability for incremental capacity addition, adaptability to remote or off-grid applications, and cost-effective construction enabled by prefabrication.
| What are Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)? – Small modular reactors (SMRs) are advanced nuclear reactors with a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, roughly one-third the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power plants. 1. Small – physically a fraction of the size of a conventional nuclear power reactor. 2. Modular – making it possible for systems and components to be factory-assembled and transported as a unit to a location for installation. 3. Reactors – harnessing nuclear fission to generate heat to produce energy. – There are four four main types of SMR i.e., light water, high temperature gas, liquid metal, and molten salt. – At present, only two Small Modular Reactor projects have become operational worldwide; 1. Russia’s Akademik Lomonosov floating power unit, equipped with two 35 MWe modules and in commercial use since 2020, and 2. China’s HTR-PM demonstration project, which was grid-connected in 2021 and achieved full commercial operations in 2023. |
What are the Concerns?
- Regulatory Challenges: The current nuclear regulatory framework is primarily designed for large-scale reactors.
- The possibility of using SMRs to produce materials for nuclear warheads and co-locating them with military sites raises non-proliferation concerns.
- Legal Hurdles: India’s
- , channels operators’ liability to equipment suppliers, deterring foreign investors due to financial risk concerns.
- High Initial Costs: Although SMRs are designed to be more cost-effective in the long run, the initial capital investment is significant.
- Waste Management: Handling and disposing of nuclear waste remains a significant challenge.
- Supply Chain and Manufacturing: Developing a robust supply chain for the components of SMRs and ensuring quality manufacturing processes are critical for their success.
Global SMR regulatory reforms
- To address these challenges, countries around the world are reforming their SMR regulations in six main ways:
- Technology-neutral frameworks replacing large reactor-specific rules;
- Streamlined licensing including fleet approvals and combined construction-operating licences;
- Modular manufacturing accommodation with factory fabrication certification;
- International harmonisation through International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards and mutual design recognition;
- Risk-informed requirements adjusting emergency planning zones and staffing proportional to smaller facility risks; and
- Accelerated deployment pathways for follow-on units.
India’s efforts towards SMRs
- Research and development on SMRs are ongoing at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai.
- The Bharat Small Reactor (BSR) is a notable project under this initiative which aims to re-engineer existing reactors to incorporate additional safety features and enhance their efficiency.
- India had announced a Rs 20,000 crore R&D mission for development of small modular reactors (SMRs).
- India is also targeting the deployment of at least five of these indigenously developed reactors by 2033.
- India and France have launched a cooperation program focused on SMRs and advanced modular reactors (AMRs).
Way Ahead
- Data centres are central to India’s digital economy and AI future, but their energy intensity poses a sustainability dilemma.
- SMRs present a strategic opportunity: ensuring reliable, green power while boosting domestic nuclear manufacturing and international collaborations.
- However, legislative reforms, addressing liability concerns, and ensuring safety and public trust will be critical to translating this vision into reality.
Source: TH