IGCAR Kalpakkam Hydrogen Plant: India inaugurates world’s first hydrogen plant that uses nuclear reactor heat instead of electricity

The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) has inaugurated what it describes as the world's first hydrogen production facility based on the Copper–Chlorine (Cu–Cl) thermochemical cycle that uses nuclear process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR). The facility was opened at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in Kalpakkam and was inaugurated on June 26 by Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary, DAE and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.

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The project has been developed as a technology demonstration plant to validate hydrogen production using nuclear energy. The Cu–Cl thermochemical process used in the facility was developed indigenously by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, according to an official statement.

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A step towards clean hydrogen production

Hydrogen is considered an important fuel for the future as countries look for cleaner energy options. According to DAE, the new facility demonstrates how nuclear energy can be used not only for electricity generation but also for producing hydrogen without relying on fossil fuels.