The pioneering plant at IGCAR, Kalpakkam, uses an indigenously developed Copper-Chlorine thermochemical process to produce clean hydrogen using nuclear process heat
Kalpakkam: India has commissioned the world’s first hydrogen production facility powered by nuclear process heat at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) in Kalpakkam, marking a significant milestone in the country’s clean energy and advanced nuclear technology programme.
The facility was inaugurated by Department of Atomic Energy Secretary and Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Ajit Kumar Mohanty. It has been established as a technology demonstrator to validate hydrogen production using the Copper-Chlorine (Cu-Cl) thermochemical cycle, an indigenous process developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai.
The plant utilises nuclear process heat generated from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR), making it the first facility in the world to integrate nuclear heat with hydrogen production through the Cu-Cl thermochemical process.
“The integration of nuclear energy with emerging clean energy technologies such as hydrogen production represents a strategic pathway towards a sustainable energy future,” Mohanty said during the inauguration. He added that nuclear power is ideally suited to support large-scale, carbon-free hydrogen production while advancing India’s energy security, decarbonisation goals and long-term sustainable development.
According to the Department of Atomic Energy, the commissioning follows years of research, engineering design, equipment fabrication, installation, testing and process development carried out jointly by BARC and IGCAR. Officials said the facility will provide valuable operational experience, help optimise the Cu-Cl process and support future efforts to scale up nuclear-assisted hydrogen production for commercial deployment.
The breakthrough is expected to strengthen India’s position in next-generation clean energy technologies while contributing to global efforts towards low-carbon hydrogen production.
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