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World’s First Nuclear Heat-Based Hydrogen Production Plant

  • 27 Jun 2026

On 26th June 2026, the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) inaugurated the world’s first hydrogen production facility based on the Copper-Chlorine (Cu-Cl) Thermochemical Cycle using nuclear process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakkam.

Key Points:

  • •Technology: The facility uses nuclear process heat generated from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) to produce hydrogen through the indigenously developed Cu-Cl thermochemical process.
  • •Developed By: The Cu-Cl hydrogen production technology has been developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, with the facility jointly established by BARC and IGCAR.
  • •Purpose: The project serves as a technology demonstrator to validate large-scale hydrogen production using nuclear energy.
Significance: The initiative integrates nuclear energy with clean hydrogen production, supporting India's energy security, decarbonisation goals, clean energy transition and long-term sustainable development.