Gujarat to develop medical isotopes reactor facility to be set up in PPP mode

IndustryOutlook Team | Tuesday, 25 January 2022

The Indian government is contemplating to locate the country's first dedicated nuclear research reactor for making medical isotopes or radio pharmaceuticals in Gujarat, said a top official of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in May 2020 announced setting up of such a reactor in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode.

"Kakrapar in Gujarat is being evaluated as a potential site for this reactor," K.N. Vyas, Secretary, DAE and Chairman, AEC.

"Around 20 potential investors from India and abroad

have shown interest in the PPP reactor for
making medical isotopes. A detailed designing is in progress," he added. The proposed facility complex will be one of the largest single facilities for production/processing of isotopes in the world in terms of volume. This will be the first of its kind PPP in the world and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is designing the reactor with a capacity ranging between 40-60MW depending on the demand for medical isotopes.

According to the government, Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) will be taking the responsibility of constructing the reactor, including the upfront capital expenditure for construction and it is expected that the private partner should be able to get high return on the capital invested.

According to Vyas, the proposed reactor is designed to maximise irradiation capacity, and thus a large quantity of a variety of radioisotopes shall be produced in the reactor.

"Majority of the isotopes are for medical use. In addition, some of the isotopes would also have industrial use. As per internal assessment, it is expected that with this research reactor, it will be possible to meet the complete requirement of medical isotopes in the country," Vyas.

"In addition, there will be considerable scope to export radioisotopes. It is planned to have a processing facility complex along with the reactor. It would be the world's largest (production volume wise) radio-isotopes production and processing facility," he added.