Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram): The Andaman and Nicobar Islands may be looking towards nuclear energy to power their next phase of mega infrastructure development, with a team of scientists from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) beginning a five-day visit to identify suitable locations for setting up Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) in the Union Territory. The BARC team, functioning under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), is visiting the Islands from September 4 to 8, 2026, and will undertake site inspections across all three districts.
The exercise follows a recommendation to explore the setting up of SMRs in the Islands to meet the rapidly growing electricity demand expected from a series of proposed mega infrastructure projects. These include the International Container Transhipment Terminal, the Greenfield Airport, deep-water multipurpose ports and other major development initiatives.
Unlike conventional large nuclear power plants, Small Modular Reactors are compact nuclear fission reactors designed to generate up to 300 megawatts of electricity per unit—roughly one-third of the capacity of a traditional nuclear reactor.
The BARC scientists also made a presentation before the Lieutenant Governor on potential sites and other key aspects of the proposed plan.
The visit marks a significant step in examining whether nuclear energy could become a major component of the Islands’ future power strategy, particularly as the scale of planned infrastructure projects is expected to place unprecedented demands on the existing energy system.
The findings of the site inspection are likely to play a crucial role in determining the feasibility and future course of the proposed SMR initiative in the strategically important Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
