Nuclear Cogeneration Projects in India : An Assessment of the Current Scenario and Future Prospects

Abstract

Desalination of sea water through thermal and membrane based techniques and production of hydrogen through low temperature water electrolysis at facilities co-located with nuclear power plants are two areas identified for deploying co-generation projects in India in the near term. Nuclear desalination meets the requirements of clean drinking water in and around the nuclear facility, as well as to the in-house demand for high purity water for steam generation and other processes like hydrogen generation, coupled to it. Nuclear assisted hydrogen production also provides means to generate and distribute clean hydrogen which is envisaged as an important component of the decarbonized energy system of the near future. Currently the technologies for indigenous design, manufacture and quality assurance of desalination and medium scale compact water electrolysis plants are commensurate with the 220 MW(e) PHWRs presently operating in India. This work provides an overview of the research, development and deployment work carried out in these two areas in India, analyses the applicability of the IAEA Milestones Approach to nuclear cogeneration projects and discusses the problems and prospects of setting up and integrating more such facilities all over the country.