India has opened the world’s first nuclear hydrogen plant at Kalpakkam in Tamil Nadu. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) inaugurated it on 26 June 2026. Notably, the facility makes hydrogen with heat from a nuclear reactor, not with electricity. It uses the copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) thermochemical cycle. Thus, India now leads a new route to clean, round-the-clock hydrogen.
Who Inaugurated the Facility?
Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary of DAE and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, opened the plant. The facility stands at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR). Also present was Sreekumar G. Pillai, Director of IGCAR. Mohanty called nuclear-hydrogen integration “a strategic pathway toward a sustainable energy future.”
How the Copper-Chlorine Cycle Works
The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, developed the Cu-Cl cycle on its own. In this process, a series of chemical reactions splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. Heat drives most of these reactions. Moreover, the chemicals move in a closed loop and get reused. According to DAE, the cycle works at lower temperatures than other thermochemical routes. It also offers higher thermodynamic efficiency.
Heat From the Fast Breeder Test Reactor
The plant draws process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR). The FBTR is a sodium-cooled reactor rated at 40 MWt. Interestingly, IGCAR has run it for more than four decades. BARC and IGCAR jointly designed, built, installed and tested the hydrogen unit. For now, it serves as a technology demonstrator for future scale-up.
Clean Hydrogen for Industry
Most hydrogen today comes from natural gas, which releases carbon dioxide. However, nuclear heat can produce hydrogen without such emissions. Therefore, this route can serve steel, ammonia, methanol and long-haul transport. In addition, it adds a new use to India’s three-stage nuclear programme beyond electricity. It also supports the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
Nuclear Hydrogen Plant: Key Facts for Revision
- Location: IGCAR, Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu
- Inaugurated: 26 June 2026 by DAE Secretary Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty
- Process: Copper-chlorine (Cu-Cl) thermochemical cycle, developed by BARC
- Heat source: Fast Breeder Test Reactor (40 MWt, sodium-cooled)
- Status: World’s first hydrogen facility using nuclear process heat
Why the Nuclear Hydrogen Plant Matters for UPSC and UKPSC
Notably, energy security and clean fuels are frequent GS Paper III themes. So, remember the cycle, the reactor and the two institutions behind it. Also, link this plant with India’s three-stage nuclear programme. For official updates, also visit the Department of Atomic Energy. Next, for a related story, read about the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor reaching criticality.
So, are you preparing for the UKPSC Upper PCS 2026 prelims? Then join our UKPSC 2026 Prelims Test Series for regular practice.