India Accelerates PHWR Expansion with Indigenous Distillation Columns by M/s TEMA India, Backed by BARC-NPCIL Expertise
BARC-NPCIL transfer critical heavy water distillation technology to M/s TEMA India for indigenous manufacturing to support six upcoming 700 MWe PHWRs at Gorakhpur and Kaiga
In a significant stride towards self-reliance in nuclear technology, India has further strengthened its Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor (PHWR) programme by involving private industry in the manufacture of critical components. The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), through Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL), has successfully transferred the technology of high-efficiency vacuum distillation columns to M/s TEMA India Pvt. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of high-end heat exchangers.
PHWRs are central to India’s civilian nuclear energy programme, and the production of reactor-grade heavy water is a vital part of the nuclear fuel cycle. For over three decades, BARC has been manufacturing ultra-efficient vacuum distillation columns in-house, equipped with indigenously developed structured packings that offer high wettability, low pressure drop, and superior separation performance. Nearly 35 such columns have already been deployed at NPCIL reactor sites, demonstrating unmatched reliability and performance while serving as an economical import substitute under the Government of India’s “Make in India” mission.
As India plans to commission multiple 700 MWe PHWRs—including upcoming units at Gorakhpur (Haryana) and Kaiga (Karnataka)—the demand for these specialized columns has surged. To meet the growing requirement, NPCIL initiated a rigorous techno-commercial evaluation and subsequently placed an order with M/s TEMA India for the supply of high-efficiency distillation columns for six upcoming PHWRs.
With this opportunity, M/s TEMA India, guided by experts from BARC and NPCIL, has established a dedicated state-of-the-art nuclear manufacturing facility at Achhad, Maharashtra. The facility marks a new chapter in India’s effort to commercialize deep-tech innovations developed within the DAE ecosystem.
Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Secretary, DAE and Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, hailed the collaboration as “yet another outstanding example of engaging private industry in the commercial application of advanced nuclear technologies developed indigenously.”
The new facility was formally inaugurated during a flagging-off ceremony of the first consignment—eight sections of distillation columns—graced by Rajesh V, Director (Technical), NPCIL, and K. T. Shenoy, Director, Chemical Engineering Group, BARC, alongside senior officials from NPCIL, BARC, and TEMA India.
This partnership not only represents a leap forward in localising nuclear reactor infrastructure but also underscores the growing synergy between India’s strategic research institutions and the private sector in driving self-reliance in critical technologies.
