RVNL in talks with Russia's Rosatom to build nuclear reactors for its 4 big railway projects
A senior RVNL official said that a meeting was held on Thursday with the Russian company in this regard. He further said that push towards nuclear energy is part of this year's Budget announcement to develop SMRs to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and Indian Railways' target to achieve net-zero by 2030.
SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors with a power capacity of up to 300 MW per unit and require less area for installation. The official said SMRs are also part of RVNL's plan to expand its interest and work in the energy sector.
'The process is very much at preliminary stage. We held a detailed meeting with Rosatom on Thursday. Some senior officials from the Russian Embassy were also present in the meeting. They have put up a proposal to build nuclear reactor of 55 MW. We have asked them to provide cost analysis in comparison to existing system of electricity supply for Railway traction. Rosatom will also submit logistical details, timeline, etc. The Russian company is among the leaders for SMRs. Because of this, RVNL initiated the dialogue with Rosatom,' said the official quoted above.
The official added that a total of four projects has been identified for electricity supply by SMRs.
'If everything works out, we have decided to build SMRs for the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line, Bhanupali-Bilaspur railway line, Yavatmal-Nanded railway line and Indore-Budni Railway line. Under the existing system, we have to build many substations and lay transmission lines for the operation of trains. It involves a significant expenditure per project. If the SMRs will be built for this purpose, the preliminary analysis shows that it will save cost and provide green energy,' said the official.
Rosatom has proposed to build a total of eight SMRs of 55 MW each for these four Railway project.
'These four projects have been identified on the basis that they are new line project and comparatively larger projects. Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line is of strategic importance. It will take an area of 15 acres for a single reactor, which is much less than the larger nuclear reactor. Also it will not have any impact in the area which falls in seismic zone such as Rishikesh project,' said the official.
Union Budget 2025-26 launched a Nuclear Energy Mission, which is focused on research and development (R&D) of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The government has allocated Rs. 20,000 crore for this initiative, aiming to develop at least five indigenously designed and operational SMRs by 2033. The government has set an ambitious target of 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047, positioning nuclear energy as a major pillar in India's energy mix.
Indian Railways have also shown interest in Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL)'s bid to develop Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs), which is 220 MW Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) with a proven safety and performance record.
Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
15 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Russian subs 'near US coast' video surfaces after Trump deploys nuclear subs; sparking war fears
US President Donald Trump has shown Russia that he is not one to take threats lying down, after the Republican swiftly reacted to Russian president Vladimir Putin's aide, Dmitry Medvedev's 'dead hand' threat, following the POTUS's remarks on the Indian and Russian economies. Russia has done its fair share of nuclear saber-rattling in the past, including sending a nuclear-powered submarine and warships to Cuba. Image for representation(Pixabay) Trump ordered two nuclear submarines to be deployed near Russia. The move has not gone down too well, with Hans Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists noting that the US President was forming a 'commitment trap', fueling expectations nuclear weapons are on the cards if tensions escalate more with Russia. Amid these tensions, a video has surfaced claiming that Russian 'Borei Class submarines equipped with thermonuclear Bulava missiles are now close to the US coast.' Fears of war and fact-checking the Russian submarine claim First off, there is no news of any fresh Russian submarine activity off the US coast. The video that has been shared on X is from 2018 and was of a test Russia conducted in the White Sea. However, Trump's actions have sparked fears in many. One person said on X, ''I'll end the war before I even take office.' 6 months later 'Send in the nuclear subs.'' Another commented 'The odds of WW3 just went up dramatically'. 'Wake up dude, it's just more posturing. Do you really believe that those submarines weren't already being planned for months in advance for that deployment? Learn a little bit about how ballistic missile submarines are operated,' another opined on a thread related to the US deployment of nuclear subs. However, online trepiditon aside, experts don't believe this could actually lead to World War 3 or a nuclear war between Russia and US. Also Read | Trump says to fire US official over 'faked' employment data Evelyn Farkas, executive director of the McCain Institute, said 'It's really signaling. It's not the beginning of some nuclear confrontation and nobody reads it as such. And I would imagine the Russians don't either.' The Telegraph also noted that Trump's Truth Social post is more of a gesture, given that US nuclear submarines are in position to destroy Russia all the time. Russia-US tensions rise Trump's actions come after Medvedev on X wrote 'each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war.' On Telegram, the former Russian President also referred to 'dead hand', which some military analysts understood to be Russia's codename for the retaliatory nuclear strikes control system. Trump, then, on Truth Social responded saying "Based on the highly provocative statements of the former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions". He also said he acted 'just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that. Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.' Notably, Russia has done its fair share of nuclear saber-rattling in the past, including sending a nuclear-powered submarine and warships to Cuba, which is very close to the US coast. Kimball, the security expert, noted that the US has historically refrained from making threats regarding the use of its nuclear weapons. Trump's statements also come at a time when he is increasingly frustrated with Putin for not agreeing on a ceasefire with Ukraine, but McCain's Farkas noted that the nuclear sub deployment was unlikely to have any impact on Russia's course of action in the bordering country. (With Reuters inputs)
Hindustan Times
16 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'US totally prepared': Donald Trump orders nuclear submarines moved after Russian statements
US President Donald Trump on Friday said the United States is 'totally prepared' to respond to nuclear threats, following what he called 'highly provocative statements' from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. US President Donald Trump(AFP) In a pointed warning, Donald Trump said he had ordered the repositioning of two US nuclear submarines 'in the appropriate regions' as a precautionary measure. Donald Trump's remarks came hours after Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, warned that recent Washington's '50 days or 10' ultimatums could escalate into a direct conflict between the two nuclear powers. Talking to reporters later in the evening as Trump departed the White House for a weekend at his New Jersey estate, he said, 'When you talk about nuclear, we have to be prepared… And we're totally prepared.' He was responding to questions on where exactly he had ordered the positioning of the said nuclear subs, when he added, 'I do that on the basis of safety for our people… We're gonna protect our people,' the Associated Press reported. He did not clarify where the submarines were being moved. Earlier in the day, the Republican President said, 'Based on the highly provocative statements from Medvedev, I have ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.' Trump emphasized the gravity of such rhetoric, adding, 'Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.' US-Russia tensions escalate over Ukraine The sharp exchange comes as Washington continues to push for a ceasefire in Russia's war on Ukraine. Trump has sent special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow and warned that new economic sanctions will be imposed unless there is progress within a newly shortened 10-day deadline—down from the earlier 50-day window. That period expires next week. The latest flare-up began earlier in the week after Medvedev mocked Trump's ultimatum strategy in a social media post: 'Trump's playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10,' he wrote. 'He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn't Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country,' Medvedev added. Trump hit back early Thursday, calling Medvedev a 'failed former President of Russia' and advising him to 'watch his words.' Medvedev later replied, 'Russia is right on everything and will continue to go its own way.'
Hindustan Times
16 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Under the Rubble in Kyiv, Rising Death Toll From a Russian Strike
KYIV—The first official death toll from Russia's aerial bombardment of Ukraine's capital early Thursday stood at six, including Matviy Marchenko, a 6-year-old boy who died in an ambulance. By Friday morning, more than a day after the missile-and-drone assaults, rescuers sifting through the rubble of collapsed buildings had raised the total killed to 31, making the strikes one of the worst bombardments of Russia's 3½ year war. The dead included four more children, one of them two years old. Russia's relentless bombing campaign is taking a savage toll on civilians across Ukraine, particularly in Kyiv, which has suffered strikes for months. The West is sending Ukraine additional air-defense equipment, but has declined to send longer-range missiles that could help Ukraine target the launch sites and production facilities, which Kyiv is instead seeking to hit with its own drones. 'Once again, this vile strike by Russia demonstrates the need for increased pressure on Moscow and additional sanctions,' said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a statement on social media. 'They must target everything that enables such attacks to continue.' The bombardments have gone on even as President Trump issued ultimatums to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying the fighting must end while vowing to impose steep tariffs and sanctions against Russia. 'I think it's disgusting what they're doing,' Trump said of Russia's recent attacks on Ukraine. Germany on Friday announced that it would deliver two Patriot air-defense systems to Ukraine after reaching a deal with the U.S. to purchase replacement units. Ukrainians have been pushing partners to provide the much-needed Patriots, which are the only weapon capable of intercepting ballistic missiles Russia lobs at Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. The Thursday strike used tactics Russians have deployed before. First, waves of Shahed explosive drones were launched from across the border, arriving in the capital in waves. The moped-like buzz of dozens of drones filled the night sky, speeding up as the drones dived toward their targets. Russia used 309 attack drones in all, most of them against Kyiv. As the drones subsided, Kyiv residents emerged from shelters and metro stations bleary-eyed, many making their way home, believing the attack was over. Among them were residents of a nine-story apartment building in Borshchahivka, a working-class district in Kyiv, who returned from the shelter at a nearby school. 'Some got home quicker and went back to sleep. And then there was an air-raid alert again,' said Tetyana Ivanchenko, the school's deputy director. Russia left about an hour's gap after the drones before firing eight cruise missiles at the capital. Five were intercepted, but three made a whistling sound and they flew low over rooftops before hitting and turning the night sky a bright orange. Moscow's bombing campaign is taking a toll on civilians across Ukraine, particularly in Kyiv. One of the cruise missiles hit the apartment building, landing between the fifth and sixth floors, collapsing a part of the building, said Ihor Klymenko, Ukraine's interior minister, from the site of the bombing on Friday. 'The explosion was so powerful that it lifted up the top floor and depressed the bottom floor,' he said. 'And then it all folded.' Ivanchenko, who lives not far from the neighborhood, immediately drove over. Glass was covering the ground—the shock wave knocked out every single window in the school. What she remembers most are constant cries for help. 'People couldn't understand what happened,' she said. 'Screams, cries, it's horrible, to hear it.' The 6-year-old boy who died there and his two older brothers, one of whom is in hospital and the other safely in summer camp, all attended the school. Ivanchenko said she is now unsure whether the school, badly damaged as well, can reopen at all. Over 300 rescuers pulled the wounded and the dead from rubble, said the head of Kyiv's military administration, Tymur Tkachenko, in an update on the rescue works posted online. 'These are losses that we will not be able to compensate,' he said. After the rubble was cleared, residents were allowed to return to some of their apartments to gather their belongings. For Lora Uvarkina, whose warm, sunny home is now a mess of glass and rubble, the priorities were medication, documents and her cat, Zefira, who remains missing. Uvarkina was home when the attack happened. She survived because the missile hit a different part of the apartment block. Laying in her bed through the attack, she was kept awake by the sound of buzzing in the sky. Until the missile came, she said, 'I was counting the Shaheds.' Under the Rubble in Kyiv, Rising Death Toll From a Russian Strike
