India has commissioned the world's first hydrogen production facility powered directly by heat from a nuclear reactor. The pilot plant at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam uses a copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle to split water into hydrogen and oxygen without relying on electricity. This approach bypasses the high power consumption of conventional electrolysis and uses process heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor. The project was developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Department of Atomic Energy. It aims to demonstrate that nuclear infrastructure can produce zero-carbon hydrogen for heavy industries like steel, refining, and fertilizer. Data from this pilot will inform larger commercial deployments planned for India's advanced nuclear fleet by 2030.
