The Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) is partnering with the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCL) to explore the possibilities of the use of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) at its coal mines.

SMRs are a burgeoning technology in the nuclear sector. Unlike traditional reactors with outputs reaching gigawatts, SMRs operate at capacities under 300 MWe – smaller and more modular in their construction.

NLC chairman and managing director M Prasanna Kumar highlights the potential of SMRs to bridge the gap between large-scale nuclear power and the variability of renewable sources like solar and wind.

He said public sector company WAPCOS is preparing a detailed project report for storage of 200MW of energy. The most significant challenge in achieving grid transition from thermal to green is the need to maintain sufficient storage to address daily variations in solar and wind power.