India has started up the world's first hydrogen production facility that uses heat from a nuclear reactor instead of electricity. The plant is located at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam, Tamil Nadu, and was inaugurated on June 26. It uses a Copper-Chlorine thermochemical cycle powered by the Fast Breeder Test Reactor to split water into hydrogen, bypassing the need for electrolysis. This approach could improve efficiency and enable round-the-clock low-carbon hydrogen output. The project is a joint effort between the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and IGCAR. Officials say it validates a pathway for nuclear reactors to produce both electricity and hydrogen. The technology could help decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors like steel, fertilizers, and heavy transport. While still a demonstration unit, the plant shows a practical route to integrate nuclear heat with hydrogen production at scale.
