India Commissions First Nuclear Process Heat Hydrogen Facility

Secretary of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Ajit Kumar Mohanty, inaugurated the world’s first hydrogen production facility based on the Copper-Chlorine (Cu-Cl) thermochemical cycle utilising nuclear process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in Kalpakkam. The project was established as a technology demonstrator to validate hydrogen production using nuclear energy through the Cu-Cl thermochemical process developed indigenously by BARC. DAE described the commissioning as the culmination of extensive research, process development, engineering, equipment fabrication, installation, testing and commissioning efforts undertaken jointly by BARC and IGCAR.

The demonstrator will allow engineers to test process integration, materials performance and control systems under reactor heat conditions while producing hydrogen for analysis. BARC developed the Cu-Cl process and provided process design and key equipment, while IGCAR supplied reactor heat integration expertise and support for systems engineering. The commissioning followed phased trials that included component testing, hot trials and safety validation to ensure operational readiness.

Officials from DAE described the integration of nuclear power with emerging clean energy technologies as a strategic pathway towards a sustainable energy future. They said nuclear power, with its ability to provide reliable carbon-free electricity, is suited to support large-scale hydrogen production and to contribute to India’s energy security, decarbonisation goals and long-term sustainable development objectives. The facility is intended to inform scale-up studies, industry partnerships and regulatory frameworks required for commercial deployment.

Project teams noted that operation of the demonstrator will build domestic experience in materials handling, process chemistry and operational safety and will help prepare a specialised workforce. Data from the facility will be used to refine techno-economic assessments, inform manufacturing requirements for key components and to guide investment decisions. The project was presented as an example of leveraging established reactor heat systems to advance low carbon hydrogen pathways and to strengthen national capabilities in clean energy innovation.