Holtec International, a diversified energy technology company based in New Jersey, has announced the shipment of advanced nuclear components to India’s Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant, describing it as an “opportunity” to support India’s world-class manufacturing ambitions.The company’s India-born Chief Executive Officer, Dr Kris Singh, said the delivery of the first state-of-the-art spent fuel storage racks—constructed from Metamic with exceptional reactivity suppression capacity and structural strength—was a significant milestone. The racks are destined for use at the Nuclear Power Corporation of India’s Kudankulam plant, which was developed with Russian technical collaboration.“The supply of these complex nuclear components through a close collaborative effort between Holtec (US) and Holtec Asia demonstrates that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to elevate India’s manufacturing capacity to world-class levels can be achieved by systematically infusing advanced technology into the country,” Singh said.In addition, Holtec has dispatched a multi-purpose transport cask, the HI-STAR 149, co-produced by Holtec International and Holtec Asia in Pune. The cask, incorporating the industry’s latest radiation-shielding innovations, will be used to transfer spent fuel stored in Kudankulam’s reactor building pools to the wet storage facility.According to Holtec, both the rack modules and transport cask reflect the company’s cutting-edge safety and engineering advancements in nuclear criticality, radiation protection, and structural integrity—each safeguarded by multiple patents. These components will form a critical part of Kudankulam’s fuel management operations.Dr Singh also expressed optimism about India’s nuclear future, highlighting the anticipated passage of long-pending legislation in the Lok Sabha that would allow private sector participation in the nuclear power industry. “Such a move will enable India to become a global powerhouse in this vital energy domain,” he stated.He further revealed the company’s plans to introduce the walk-away safe SMR-300 reactor across diverse Indian regions—from Ladakh’s barren terrain to Rajasthan’s arid lands and the earthquake-prone Gangetic plains. Holtec also aims to integrate its small modular reactor technology with its concentrated solar plant system, HI-THERM HCSP, enabling a profitable “coal to clean” energy transition.