**Summary:**
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is prioritizing advanced reactor development, particularly Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), with a strong emphasis on safety and security. Reactor designs incorporate extensive passive safety systems, greater autonomy for operator intervention during emergencies, and fail-safe mechanisms in safety-critical systems. Rigorous procedures govern the design, development, and operation of all systems, with safety and security-critical systems designed and developed in-house using custom-built hardware and software. These systems undergo regulatory verification and validation to enhance resistance to cybersecurity threats.
Safety and security-critical infrastructure within nuclear establishments are isolated from the Internet and local networks. The DAE's Computer and Information Security Advisory Group (CISAG) is responsible for strengthening cybersecurity across all DAE units, including nuclear facilities, through system hardening and audits.
Designers and developers utilize peer-reviewed, regulator-approved multiphysics computer codes, integrating physics, thermal-hydraulics, and structural mechanics for design optimization and safety analysis. Specific, custom-made computer codes have been developed in-house for safety analysis of upcoming advanced reactors. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations, employing well-known numerical techniques, are used to study complex fluid flow problems. In-house developed codes are extensively validated using experimental data from prototypes and analogous systems to ensure accuracy.
This information was provided by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on August 7, 2025. (Release ID: 2153542)
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Atomic Energy: The governmental department responsible for nuclear energy in India, mentioned as the source of the information.
Small Modular Reactor: A type of nuclear reactor mentioned in the context of reactor designs.
Computer and Information Security Advisory Group: A specialist group (CISAG) within the Department of Atomic Energy responsible for cybersecurity and information security.
Rajya Sabha: The upper house of the Parliament of India, where the information was presented.
Dr. Jitendra Singh: Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances Pensions, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space.
NKRPSM: Acronym associated with the release ID of the parliamentary question
Union Minister of State Independent Charge for Science and Technology: The ministry held by Jitendra Singh, related to Science and Technology
Earth Sciences: The ministry held by Jitendra Singh, related to Earth Sciences
Department of Atomic Energy
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: ADVANCED REACTOR
DEVELOPMENT
Posted On: 07 AUG 2025 3:26PM by PIB Delhi
Following design features are considered for reactors designs such as Small Modular Reactor (SMRs).
i. Extensive use of passive safety systems and greater autonomy (to provide higher time margins for
operator intervention in case of emergencies). Also, fail safe features are incorporated in designs of all
safety-critical systems/components in which functional failures of components will bring the system
to safe condition.
ii. Rigorous procedure are set for design, development and operation of the systems used in its
installations. The safety and security critical systems are designed and developed in-house using
custom built hardware and software which are subjected to regulatory verification and validation,
thereby making them resistant to cyber security threats.
iii. Isolation of safety and security critical infrastructure of nuclear establishments, from Internet and
the local network.
Department of Atomic Energy has a specialist group called Computer and Information Security
Advisory Group (CISAG), to look after cyber security/information security of DAE units. This group
undertakes the process of strengthening cyber security of all units under DAE including nuclear
facilities through hardening of systems and audits.
Designers and developers of nuclear reactors use peer-reviewed / regulator-approved multi-physics computer
codes, which have coupling of physics, thermal-hydraulics, structural mechanics etc., to perform design
optimization and safety analysis. For the upcoming advanced reactors, specific/custom-made computer codes
have been developed in-house for carrying out safety analysis. Well-known and accepted numerical
techniques applicable for computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations are being employed to study
complex fluid flow problems as applicable. Codes developed in-house are subjected to extensive validation by
the use of experimental data gathered from prototypes/analogous systems to ensure requisite accuracy.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science
and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, MoS Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of
Atomic Energy and Department of Space, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
***
NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2153542)