India's Department of Atomic Energy has inaugurated the world's first nuclear-powered hydrogen production facility at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Kalpakkam. The plant uses the Copper-Chlorine thermochemical cycle, powered by heat from the Fast Breeder Test Reactor, to produce hydrogen without greenhouse gas emissions. This is a significant step in integrating nuclear energy with clean hydrogen production. The facility was developed jointly by BARC and IGCAR and will provide operational data to optimize the process for future commercial scale-up. Officials say the technology supports India's clean hydrogen mission and long-term low-carbon energy transition by using carbon-free nuclear heat instead of fossil fuels.
