The world’s first nuclear hydrogen production plant in India has been inaugurated by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), marking a significant breakthrough in clean energy and advanced nuclear technology. Located at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam, the facility uses the Copper-Chlorine (Cu-Cl) Thermochemical Cycle powered by nuclear process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) to produce hydrogen without greenhouse gas emissions. As countries accelerate investments in hydrogen to decarbonize heavy industries and transportation, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that global hydrogen demand could exceed 500 million tonnes annually by 2050 under net-zero scenarios.

India’s pioneering facility demonstrates how advanced nuclear reactors can provide reliable, carbon-free heat for hydrogen production, strengthening both energy security and the nation’s clean energy ambitions.

A Global First in Nuclear-Assisted Hydrogen Production

The hydrogen production facility was inaugurated by Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, in the presence of Sreekumar G. Pillai, Director of IGCAR.

Developed jointly by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, and IGCAR, the plant serves as a technology demonstrator to validate the indigenous Copper-Chlorine thermochemical hydrogen production process using nuclear heat instead of fossil fuels.

Unlike conventional hydrogen production, which often depends on natural gas and generates carbon emissions, the Cu-Cl process uses high-temperature nuclear heat to split water efficiently, producing clean hydrogen while significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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Why the Cu-Cl Thermochemical Cycle Matters

• Among several hydrogen production technologies under development worldwide, the Copper-Chlorine (Cu-Cl) Thermochemical Cycle is regarded as one of the most promising because it operates at lower temperatures than many other thermochemical processes, improving overall energy efficiency.
• By utilizing nuclear process heat, the system eliminates dependence on fossil fuels while enabling continuous hydrogen production using stable baseload nuclear energy.
• Researchers believe this approach could become an important solution for supplying clean hydrogen to industries such as steel, fertilizers, refineries, chemicals, and heavy transportation, where direct electrification remains difficult.

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Supporting India’s Long-Term Energy Transition

The world’s first nuclear hydrogen production plant in India represents an important milestone in India’s strategy to combine advanced nuclear technology with emerging clean energy solutions.

Speaking at the inauguration, Ajit Kumar Mohanty said that nuclear energy is uniquely positioned to provide both reliable carbon-free electricity and high-temperature process heat, making it an ideal partner for large-scale hydrogen production. He emphasized that integrating nuclear power with hydrogen technologies will contribute to India’s energy security, decarbonization objectives, and long-term sustainable development.

The demonstration plant will also provide valuable operational experience, allowing scientists to optimize the Cu-Cl process and support future scale-up for commercial deployment.

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Building on Decades of Nuclear Research

The achievement reflects more than four decades of expertise developed at IGCAR through the operation of the Fast Breeder Test Reactor, which has played a central role in advancing India’s fast reactor programme since 1971.

The knowledge generated from FBTR has supported the development of advanced fuels, sodium technology, reactor materials, thermal hydraulics, instrumentation, and the country’s 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), a key component of India’s three-stage nuclear power programme.

According to IGCAR Director Sreekumar G. Pillai, the successful demonstration highlights the versatility of advanced nuclear systems and reinforces India’s growing capabilities in hydrogen production, clean energy technologies, and nuclear innovation.

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