Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI:The Indian Navy is exploring the deployment of compact nuclear reactors to power its major naval installations. These trailer-sized small modular reactors (SMRs), developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), could serve as rapid-response backups during power grid failures— whether from natural disasters, cyberattacks, or enemy strikes. This initiative promises to minimise downtime at critical bases, ensuring uninterrupted operations for warships, submarines, and command centres.
According to the sources, the Navy’s interest stems from the limitations of current diesel-dependent systems, particularly at port-adjacent and island outposts like those in the Andaman & Nicobar chain. While multi-layered backups exist, a “plug-and-play” nuclear solution could restore full functionality in hours, not days, transforming vulnerability into strategic endurance.
BARC, India’s premier nuclear R&D hub, is at the forefront of miniaturising atomic energy for versatile use. Drawing on pressurised water reactor (PWR) tech refined over decades, these units boast passive safety features like natural circulation cooling, seismic resistance, and flood-proofing, making them ideal for remote or high-risk deployments. Recent announcements highlight three variants: a 200 MWe Bharat Small Modular Reactor (BSMR) for baseload power, a 50 MWe mid-tier option, and a 5 MWt micro-unit for niche needs. India’s naval footprint spans 7,500 km of coastline and remote archipelagos, where grid reliability is a gamble. Major hubs like Visakhapatnam, Mumbai, Kochi, and Port Blair depend on civilian power networks prone to sabotage or overload during conflicts.
